title: Perforation of the right ventricle: a complication of blind placement of a chest tube into the postpneumonectomy space.
abstract: We were asked to review a case from an outside hospital in which there was inadvertent perforation of the right ventricle during the percutaneous placement of a chest tube. We present the case in the hopes that by doing so, others will avoid such a complication in the future. After reviewing the case, it appeared that the complication occurred because the physician was not knowledgeable about the anatomy of the postpneumonectomy space and the physician failed to use the safest procedure in placing the tube.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kopec
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Conlan
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Irwin
mesh_terms: D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000601:surgery; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D012421:Rupture; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed