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Coronary artery dissection: an unusual cause of hypoxia in blunt trauma
1Helicopter Retrieval Services, Bankstown, Australia. bjburns@ambulance.nsw.gov.au
Abstract:
A 41-year-old motocross rider sustained blunt trauma to the chest following a collision with another rider. He was initially hypoxic and was given oxygen with a non-rebreather mask. He complained of chest pain. A prehospital extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) scan was negative for pneumothorax, but demonstrated a hypokinetic left ventricle. An electrocardiogram (ECG) in the emergency department confirmed anterior myocardial infarction, found to be due to a traumatic left anterior descending coronary artery dissection. This case highlights a rare but life-threatening cause of hypoxia in blunt chest trauma.
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