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Pneumonectomy

Case contributed by Ian Bickle
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Previous thoracic surgery performed.

Patient Data

Age: 60 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Complete opacification of the left hemithorax, with hila surgical clips.

Case Discussion

Pneumonectomy (complete surgical removal of the lung  is one cause of a complete 'white out' of the hemithorax.

Features which differentiate it from other causes include:

a. Trachea pulled to the side of opacification.

b. Surgical clips at the lung hilum.

c. Compensatory hypertrophy of the contralateral lung

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