Iatrogenic Perforation of the Left Ventricle during Insertion of a Chest Drain.
10.5090/kjtcs.2013.46.3.223
- Author:
Dongmin KIM
1
;
Seong Hoon LIM
;
Pil Won SEO
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Korea.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Heart;
Complications;
Chest tubes
- MeSH:
Catheters;
Chest Tubes;
Female;
Heart;
Heart Failure;
Heart Ventricles;
Humans;
Pleural Effusion;
Stress, Psychological;
Thorax
- From:The Korean Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2013;46(3):223-225
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Chest draining is a common procedure for treating pleural effusion. Perforation of the heart is a rare often fatal complication of chest drain insertion. We report a case of a 76-year-old female patient suffering from congestive heart failure. At presentation, unilateral opacity of the left chest observed on a chest X-ray was interpreted as massive pleural effusion, so an attempt was made to drain the left pleural space. Malposition of the chest drain was suspected because blood was draining in a pulsatile way from the catheter. Computed tomography revealed perforation of the left ventricle. Mini-thoracotomy was performed and the drain extracted successfully.
