Traumatic Pulmonary Herniation: A Conservative Approach

Pulmonary herniation is an uncommon but potentially dangerous complication of chest wall trauma. We present a 60-year-old female who presented to the hospital after blunt chest wall trauma resulting in thoracic pulmonary herniation. A majority of cases have historically been treated surgically, though this patient achieved spontaneous reduction of lung tissue after chest tube placement without recurrence. This report evaluates the elements of pulmonary herniation and highlights the need for defined guidelines in treatment of this condition.