Potentially fatal blunt chest trauma presenting as occult pneumothorax

Potentially fatal blunt chest trauma presenting as occult pneumothorax

Occult pneumothorax (OPTX) after blunt chest trauma can rapidly progress to tension pneumothorax and is life-threatening if not properly diagnosed in the emergency department (ED). Therefore, early detection of OPTX in ED is of great concern. Herein, we report a case of OPTX diagnosed by computed tomography (CT). A 45-year old woman suffered severe head injury, craniofacial injury, and OPTX after a motorbike accident. She was successfully treated with the insertion of a chest tube in ED without mortality. ED physicians should suspect OPTX and arrange for chest CT scan in critical trauma cases with high injury severity score (ISS) and chest injury.