Pulmonary artery intimal injury associated with blunt trauma

In recent years, intimal injuries to the aorta (minimal aortic injuries) have been diagnosed more frequently. We report the first case of pulmonary artery intimal injury in the setting of blunt trauma. We propose a number of theories regarding the pathogenesis, outcome, and treatment of pulmonary artery intimal injuries, drawing inferences from aortic intimal injuries. We conclude with a discussion on differentiating pulmonary artery intimal injury from the more common (but still rare) pulmonary artery dissection, using our case as an example.