Lung hernia

Lung hernia is an uncommon entity usually resulting from trauma or inadequate healing from recent or remote thoracic surgery. A small percentage may be congenital. Four cases are reported, each demonstrating lung herniation resulting from either accidental or postsurgical trauma. Most of the previous cases have been reviewed in various surgical and radiological journals with only rare mention in the emergency medicine literature. Because emergency physicians may be the most immediate contact for patients who develop a lung herniation, they should be cognizant of this entity as a possible delayed complication to chest wall injury. Awareness of the clinical and radiological appearance of lung hernia will help to avoid its confusion with other conditions such as subcutaneous emphysema, chest tumor, pneumothorax, or a focus of infection.