Haemopneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema. A dramatic rescue in the South Atlantic

Spontaneous haemopneumothorax has a high mortality and morbidity which increase if the treatment is delayed. A patient with tension haemopneumothroax and mediastinal emphysema, rescued from a fishing boat in the middle of the South Atlantic, responded well to conservative treatment, despite delay in initiating treatment. The clinical presentation and management are discussed.