Prompt treatment of a hemothorax is important to reduce the risk of developing long-term respiratory problems like troubled breathing.
Diagnosis
A careful history may give some clues to the cause and presence of a hemothorax.
On the side affected, lung sounds may be diminished or absent.
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An upright chest X-raymay help to diagnose a hemothorax.
A chest CT or further testing may then be considered.
Evaluation of thepleural fluidcan be helpful as well.
Often, a hemothorax is a result of blunt or penetrating trauma to the chest.
When it occurs without trauma, it’s very important to find and treat the underlying cause.
Prognosis may also be good when the hemothorax occurs as a complication of a biopsy or chest surgery.
Treatments for fibrosis are primarily supportive as fibrosis is usually irreversible.
Fibrosis may result in long-term respiratory symptoms for some people.
Prevention
Depending on the cause, a hemothorax may or may not be preventable.
Examples include wearing a seat belt when driving or wearing chest protection garments if involved in contact sports.
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