[Massive haemothorax during haemodialysis in a child]

A massive haemothorax occurring acutely during haemodialysis in a child of 8 1/2 years is reported. The pleural effusion occurred synchronously with a round, dense shadow in the parenchyma similar to an intra-pulmonary haematoma. The density became bullous in six weeks and disappeared in three months. The suggested cause of this haemothorax is a pulmonary embolism whose site of origin was the arteriovenous fistula. This would have been responsible for the adjacent pleural and parenchymal haemorrhage in the lung. The heparin given intravenously at the beginning of the haemodialysis session probably contributed to the size of the haemorrhage.