Haemothorax can occur as a result of thoracic trauma or following diagnostic or therapeutic pleural aspiration.1 Early removal of blood from the thoracic cavity is essential to prevent coagulation and fibrin deposition within the pleural cavity. The case described is one in which a large coagulated haemothorax was drained via a standard pleural drain following liquefaction by the use of a proprietary fibrinolytic agent more commonly used in the desloughing of wounds.
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MillerJM. The Treatment of haemothorax with particular reference to the use of streptokinase and streptodornase. US Armed Forces Med Journal1952; 3 (7): 1061–1070.
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