Traumatic pneumothorax due to iron rod injury in a mare

Abstract

The study reports the successful management of life-threatening pneumothorax in a 10-year-old mare. The mare was presented with a history of iron rod penetration on the ventro-lateral aspect of the left chest, at the level of 10^th ICS on the preceeding night. The skin wound was sutured by the local veterinarian. There was low-grade emphysema and mild breathlessness at presentation which increased to severe respiratory distress and whole upper body emphysema within 3 hrs. The pneumothorax was managed with intermittent suctioning of air every 3-4 hrs through a foley catheter placed as a chest tube. The suction interval gradually increased as the mare showed improvement. The mare showed marked improvement by day 10, both clinically and radiographically. Five-month follow-up revealed the mare to be healthy with no respiratory distress while walking or running and was doing her regular draft work.