A rare case of blast injury of the chest and spine on the background of a congenital malformation in the form of a complete mirror image arrangement of internal organs

Abstract

The aim is to demonstrate a clinical case of blast injury of the chest and spine against the background of a complete mirror image arrangement of internal organs. Clinical case. The injured S., 37 years old, received a blast injury during mortar shelling. Upon admission, the injured person complained of aching pain in the area of the X rib on the left and in the lumbar region. The pain worsened during movement. He has known about the malformations of internal organs since childhood, but only about the right-sided location of the heart. The final established diagnosis is combined blast injury of the chest and spine. Closed chest injury on the left, closed fracture of the X rib on the left. Closed fracture of the lumbar processes L3–4 on the right. Congenital malformation. A complete mirror image arrangement of internal organs. The injured person was taken to a territorial hospital base for further treatment, where he received painkillers, anti-inflammatory therapy, and prescribed multivitamins. The total bed-day was 7 days. The injured was taken to the Military Medical Commission and discharged in satisfactory condition to implement the decision of the Military Medical Commission. Conclusions. A congenital malformation in the form of a complete mirror image arrangement of internal organs is a rare pathology. Diagnosing a complete mirror image arrangement of internal organs is not difficult and is an accidental finding during the examination for the injury in this case. Anamnestic data help in the diagnostic search. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The research protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of a participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.