Transcatheter arterial embolization for hemothorax caused by spinal fracture without arterial injury: a case report and review of the literature

Background Spinal fractures rarely cause hemothorax, and no treatment consensus has been reached. Conservative treatment is generally selected in cases without arterial injury, but there have been some reports of uncontrolled bleeding. Here we report a case of hemothorax caused by spinal fracture without arterial injury treated with transcatheter arterial embolization. Case presentation An 88-year-old Japanese woman with back pain was diagnosed with hemothorax due to bleeding from an unstable fracture of the tenth thoracic vertebra. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed no obvious arterial injury. We performed transcatheter arterial embolization of the bilateral tenth intercostal arteries to prevent rebleeding. The hemothorax did not worsen until surgical spinal fixation 9 days post-transcatheter arterial embolization, and she was discharged 30 days after admission. Conclusion Transcatheter arterial embolization for hemothorax caused by spinal fractures without obvious arterial injury may be a useful bridge to spinal fixation.