The diagnostic problem associated with blunt traumatic azygous vein injury: delayed appearance of right haemothorax after blunt chest trauma.

Azygous vein injury (AVI) associated with blunt chest trauma is rare, but it can become a very serious problem if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. However, in 13 reported cases of AVI, including the present case, right hemothorax was not found on the initial chest X-ray film, even though its delayed appearance was confirmed in 3 out of 13 patients (23.1%). Thus, the diagnosis of AVI can be hampered because of delayed right hemothorax (DRH).