Acute Fatal Chest Pain: Spontaneous Massive Hemothorax in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type I

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by multiple dermatological disorders. The less frequent manifestations are vascular abnormalities. Spontaneous rupture of these pathological vessels is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication; this necessitates immediate and decisive intervention. Unstable patients should be managed with aggressive surgical intervention as soon as possible to avoid mortality. We encountered a case of massive hemothorax in a 62-year-old female with neurofibromatosis type 1 as a result of spontaneous rupture of right intercostal artery, which leads to lethal outcome despite extensive surgical intervention as well as intensive care measures. Copyright (C) 2020, Taiwan Society of Geriatric Emergency & Critical Care Medicine.