Abstract
A 78-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department with spontaneous ecchymosis and swelling of the neck. Ecchymosis was also evident on the posterior pharyngeal wall. A lateral soft tissue radiograph demonstrated a retropharyngeal hematoma, which was confirmed by computed tomography (CT). At this time there was no evidence of airway obstruction and she was admitted for observation. One week after admission she became acutely short of breath, and a chest radiograph at this time showed a large pleural effusion. Pleural drainage confirmed this to be a hemothorax. Subsequent CT revealed a thoracic aortic dissection with blood communicating into both the retropharyngeal space and the pleural cavity. The case highlights both an unusual presentation of thoracic aortic dissection, and also the potential for occult hemorrhage in cases of spontaneous retropharyngeal hematoma.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
