aetiology
Last reviewed 01/2018
This condition may be a complication of:
- chest injury, for example rib fracture
- pneumothorax, from ruptured vessels within pleural adhesions
- pulmonary infarct
- administration of anticoagulant therapy - use of anticoagulant therapy may potentiate the ability of a chest injury or rupture of pleural adhesions to cause a haemothorax
Other rare causes include:
- bleeding disorders
- vascular pleural metastases
- pleural endometriosis
- spontaneous haemothorax (generally left-sided) may occur with acute aortic dissection