Systemic air embolism is known to rarely complicate blunt chest trauma. However, cerebral
infarction caused by air emboli possibly originating from a traumatic pneumatocele
has not been previously reported. We report a case of a 46-year-old woman who sustained
blunt chest trauma with multiple rib and clavicular fractures, hemothorax and a huge,
tense traumatic pneumatocele. She subsequently developed clinical and radiologic features
of cerebral infarction. The cerebral infarct is likely to be secondary to cerebral
air embolism originating from a traumatic pneumatocele.
Keywords
cerebral infarct - air embolism - traumatic pneumatocele - blunt chest trauma
