Emergency surgery for spontaneous hemopneumothorax.

Emergency management of spontaneous hemopneumothorax patients was retrospectively analysed in this study. From November 2009 to August 2012, 221 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were treated in the thoracic surgery clinic. Among them, 9 (4.07%) were diagnosed with spontaneous hemopneumothorax. Chest X-ray and computed tomography were the diagnostic tools. Emergency thoracotomy was performed for 7 of 9 patients because of massive hemothorax and continuous bleeding from the chest tube. Massive hematoma was documented in 2 of 7 patients at tomography. Bridging veins and torn pleural adhesion between parietal and visceral pleura were the source of bleeding determined at thoracotomy. Hematoma evacuation, resection of bullae, ligation of pleural adhesions and apical pleurectomy were performed. Spontaneous hemopneumothorax is an emergency due to massive hemorrhage and hematoma formation. Early surgical treatment is recommended for patients with spontaneous hemopneumothorax.