CASE REPORT
A 17-year old male presented to an outside hospital with blunt trauma to
the chest during a dirt bike accident. He had multiple injuries
including T4 endplate compression fracture, right pulmonary contusion,
left apical pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, fracture of manubrium and
left first rib. The patient denied any chest pain, palpitations or
shortness of breath. He was hemodynamically stable and not hypoxemic.
Physical examination revealed bounding peripheral pulses with a heart
rate of 105, wide pulse pressure with blood pressure of 122/44 and
tachypnea with respiratory rate of 26. Cardiac auscultation revealed
normal heart sounds and early diastolic murmur in the aortic area. The
patient was initially admitted to the trauma service for the management
of the fractures.