Pulmonary contusion

[Tracie Lynn]

A pulmonary contusion is a bruise of a lung, which causes bleeding and swelling.

People have pain, usually due to the chest wall injury, and often feel short of breath.
Doctors make the diagnosis with a chest x-ray.
Treatment is with oxygen and sometimes a ventilator to support breathing until the bruise heals.

(See also Introduction to Chest Injuries.)
A severe blow to the chest (as from a motor vehicle crash or fall) can bruise the lung. The bruised lung does not absorb oxygen properly. A large bruise can cause dangerously low levels of oxygen in the bloodstream. A severe pulmonary contusion is potentially life threatening.
People may also have rib fractures, a collapsed lung (pneumothorax), and other chest injuries. Later on, people may develop pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome.

[Tracie Lynn]

Pulmonary contusion is trauma-induced lung hemorrhage and edema without laceration.
(See also Overview of Thoracic Trauma.)
Pulmonary contusion is a common and potentially lethal chest injury that results from significant blunt or penetrating chest trauma. Patients may have associated rib fracture, pneumothorax, or other chest injuries. Larger contusions can impair oxygenation. Late complications include pneumonia and sometimes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Symptoms of pulmonary contusion include pain (mainly due to injury to the overlying chest wall) and sometimes dyspnea. The chest wall is tender; other physical findings are those of any associated injuries.