Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery
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Case Reports
[Chronic expanding hematoma following pneumonectomy managed with a thoracic balloon: a case report].
A 64-year-old male was treated for a chronic expanding hematoma three years after pneumonectomy for left lung cancer (p T2N2M0, Stage IIIA). Two years prior to admission a left pleural effusion shadow was detected on a follow-up chest X ray, and since then there had been a progressive mediastinum shift to the right. The suspected diagnosis on referral was recurrent lung cancer or giant intrathoracic hematoma. ⋯ Surgery was performed because of the severity of symptoms and the progressive nature of the tumor. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of chronic expanding hematoma. During the operation, it was difficult to achieve hemostasis, but bleeding was effectively managed with a thoracic balloon.