Bilateral tension pneumothoraces following coronary artery bypass grafting.
It is an unusual case of bilateral tension pneumothoraces developing in the postoperative period in a patient who underwent total arterial revascularization for two vessel coronary artery disease. The patient had been a previous heavy smoker and at operation had been noted to have thin walled lung parenchyma with multiple small bullae mainly in the left upper lobe. He suddenly developed bilateral pneumothoraces following intermittent continuous positive airway pressure requiring initially bilateral needle decompression followed by chest drain insertion. He recovered well and the air leak sealed after 3 days.
Shoaib
Raja Farhat
RF
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Anwar
Fahim
F
Nyawo
Brian
B
Sarkar
Pradip
P
D000368:Aged; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D007387:Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000209:etiology