Unusual dyspnea in a hemodialysis patient: A case report

Abstract

The typical clinical symptoms of hemothorax include a rapid development of chest pain or dyspnea, which may be life-threatening without immediate management. As we know, spontaneous hemothorax, a collection of blood within the pleural cavity without previous history of trauma or other cause, which usually onsets suddenly. The early and accurate diagnosis of spontaneous hemothorax is imperative in clinical practice. We reported a middle-age male undergoing regular hemodialysis was referred to our emergency department due to unknown cause of dyspnea and acute respiratory failure. Chest radiography revealed bilateral patchy infiltration of lung. Pleural tap analysis showed exudative pleural effusion with numerous red blood cells. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) were performed and confirmed the final diagnosis of spontaneous hemothorax. He was then successfully treated with the surgery of VATS combined chest tube thoracostomy.