It can always get worse
The 72-year-old traveled with his daughter from Lima to Abancay. It was to be a visit to the mountain country with a few eventful days. But unfortunately, the man suffered an accident and was immediately in a hospital in the regional capital with a fracture of the rib series. The many rib fractures had caused pneumothorax. This causes air to leak between the chest wall and the lungs, which impairs breathing and, depending on the severity, can be life-threatening.
The patient was monitored in the hospital there for a good ten days, and although the air in the pleural cavity had not yet been completely absorbed, he was discharged over the weekend. The family wanted to quickly return to Lima by plane for the purpose of further recovery.
During the trip to the airport in Cusco, the family took a short break at an altitude of about 3500 meters. Suddenly, the injured man collapsed and was taken to the Diospi Suyana Hospital as an emergency case. Diagnostics (x-rays and computed tomography) revealed the following findings:
1. large pneumothorax
2. deep vein thrombosis
3. bilateral pulmonary emboli
Explanation: Conservative treatment in bed at the first hospital had resulted in blood clots (thrombosis) in the deep veins of the legs. When the man suddenly collapsed, just at that moment some blood clots had come loose and caused the pulmonary embolism.
Treatment at Hospital Diospi Suyana consisted of placement of a chest suction drain to evacuate air. He also received blood-thinning medication, oxygen and physical therapy. But whether he will pull through, only the future will tell.
(Caption at top: At the head end is anesthesiologist Dr. Natasche Lopata. On the right, doctors Dr. Fritz Meiswinkel and Dr. Benjamin Zeier place the suction drainage.
