Pulmonary barotrauma: diagnosis in American football players. Three cases in three years

Medical Sports Injuries in American Football Players

Most injuries in American football are orthopedic, but the medical team must also be prepared to recognize and manage injuries beyond the musculoskeletal system that may result from trauma to the face, chest, abdomen, and pelvic regions. Failure to promptly identify such injuries in athletes can be life-threatening or permanently disabling. The literature on many of the nonorthopedic sports injuries is limited but can aid in understanding injury presentation, imaging modalities of choice, and initial management. Safe return-to-play decision-making requires a thoughtful approach through the use of available data and an understanding of pathophysiology and tissue healing.

Bilateral tension pneumothorax resulting from a bicycle-to-bicycle collision

Bilateral tension pneumothorax occurring as a result of recreational activity is exceedingly rare. A 10-year-old boy with no previous respiratory symptoms was involved in a bicycle-to-bicycle collision during play. He was the only one hurt. A few hours later, he was rushed to the general casualty unit of the emergency department of our institution with respiratory distress, diminished bilateral chest excursions and diminished breath sounds. The correct diagnosis was made after a chest radiograph was obtained in the course of resuscitation at the casualty unit. Pleural space needle decompression was suggestive of tension only on the right. Bilateral tube thoracostomies provided effective relief. He was discharged from hospital after a week in excellent health. This case illustrates the need for children to have safety instruction to reduce the risks of recreational bicycling. Chest radiography may be needed to establish the diagnosis of bilateral tension pneumothorax. Needle thoracostomy decompression is not always effective.

Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum

Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum occur uncommonly in association with athletic participation. Although they are rare, when they occur they can be life-threatening, requiring immediate diagnosis and treatment. These injuries also present difficult return-to-play decisions for the sports medicine physician. There are sparse data to help determine the incidence of these injuries in sport, as well as their optimal treatment. Although most sports physicians have seen these injuries, not many have seen enough to publish a large series discussing optimal management or make return-to-play recommendations.

Chest pain in athletes

The symptom of chest pain in the athlete can represent anything from a nonspecific musculoskeletal strain to a life-threatening condition such as tension pneumothorax. For the physician charged with evaluating this patient population, a thorough knowledge of the possible etiologies, their usual diagnostic algorithms, available imaging modalities, and potential therapeutic options is essential. Although the vast majority of patients with traumatic chest pain will not harbor significant pathology, the clinician must be prepared for those few who do have such conditions, and be prepared to intervene in an appropriate, time-sensitive fashion.

Management of pneumothorax and barotrauma: current concepts

Pneumothorax can be spontaneous, traumatic or iatrogenic. Pneumothorax ex vacuo, sports-related pneumothorax and barotrauma unrelated to mechanical ventilation are interesting and newer entities. Management consists of getting rid of the air and prevention of recurrence of pneumothorax.

Pneumothorax in a weight lifter: the importance of vigilance

A 27-year-old weight lifter developed mild chest pain and dyspnea after 'bouncing' a 250-lb barbell off his chest. A plain radiograph revealed a large, right-sided pneumothorax with collapse of the lung. He underwent an emergency tube thoracostomy. One month later, he resumed lifting without recurrence. This case report demonstrates the need to be responsive to dyspnea and chest pain in healthy, young athletes. Pneumothorax in sports is uncommon, but cases of spontaneous and trauma-induced pneumothorax have been reported. Initial symptoms may be minimal, but prompt recognition can help prevent respiratory and cardiovascular compromise. Treatment depends in part on the size of the pneumothorax.

Pulmonary air leaks resulting from outdoor sports. A clinical series and literature review

The occurrence of pulmonary air leaks consequent to recreational sports is considered to be rare. We performed a retrospective records review for cases of pulmonary air leaks for the 5-year period 1993 to 1997 at a community hospital that serves a popular tourist destination area having intense year-round outdoor recreational activities. We identified 20 patients who had sustained a spontaneous or traumatic pulmonary air leak while engaged in an outdoor sport. All but one case (95%) were due to blunt chest trauma. A total of nine different sports were involved, but the majority of cases (11, or 55%) occurred during skiing or snowboarding. Three (15%) patients died. Nine (53%) of the surviving 17 patients sustained injuries serious enough to require hospitalization for tube thoracostomy and other trauma care. We concluded that pulmonary air leaks due to blunt chest trauma occur more frequently in outdoor sports than the literature suggests.