Haemothorax in a Pregnant Woman Secondary to Rupture of a Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are abnormal communications between the arteries and veins of the pulmonary vasculature leading to a right-to-left shunt. We report the case of a pregnant patient who presented with chest pain revealing a haemothorax secondary to the rupture of an arteriovenous malformation. The diagnosis was made during arteriography after simultaneous performance of an urgent caesarean section and thoracic drainage. LEARNING POINTS: The rupture of a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in a pregnant patient is a serious and potentially life-threatening event, especially if it is not diagnosed quickly. It is crucial to use whatever imaging test is available whether ionizing or non-ionizing, as no thoracic imaging has been shown to adversely affect the fetus beyond embryogenesis. It is important for emergency doctors to consider this life-threatening condition in the differential diagnosis of atypical chest pain in pregnant women.