PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J M Moon
AU  - S C Lee
AU  - B J Chun
TI  - Spontaneous intercostal artery bleeding
AID  - 10.1136/emj.2007.052548
DP  - 2008 Jan 01
TA  - Emergency Medicine Journal
PG  - 53--54
VI  - 25
IP  - 1
4099  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/1/53.short
4100  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/25/1/53.full
SO  - Emerg Med J2008 Jan 01; 25
AB  - We present a patient who complained of right flank pain resulting from spontaneous intercostal artery rupture while sleeping. He did not have symptoms or a history to suggest other diseases or trauma except hypertension. Arteriography revealed a rupture of the right 10th and 11th intercostal artery, and transcatheter arterial embolisation was successfully done. The patient was discharged without any sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the second report in the literature documenting spontaneous intercostal artery rupture without associated illness or injury. Through comparison with the first reported case, we discuss the cause, the vulnerable site, and the treatment of spontaneous intercostal bleeding.