[Post-traumatic lung herniation]

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic lung herniation due to a pathological defect in the chest wall is rare. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a 73-year-old polytrauma patient who had extensive chest wall trauma after an accident, resulting in traumatic herniation of the lung. The patient was initially treated according to surgical principles for 'damage control'. The chest wall was then reconstructed with polypropylene mesh. CONCLUSION: There is still no consensus on surgical treatment of lung herniation. It may be performed immediately (primary) or after a delay (secondary) and depends on the clinical condition of the patient.