Chest tube injury to left ventricle: complication or negligence?
An injury to the left ventricle after a chest tube insertion is a rare but lethal phenomenon that is likely to occur if precautions are not seriously addressed. We present a 15-year-old girl who was diagnosed a left empyema thoracis. An attempt to place a chest drain in this young girl was almost fatal. A left ventricular repair together with thoracotomy and decortication were successful. This case emphasizes the rarity of this lethal complication and the importance of the correct technique for chest tube insertion.
Haron
Hairufaizi
H
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart and Lung Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Rashid
Norfaezan Abdul
NA
Dimon
Mohd Zamrin
MZ
Azmi
Muhd Helmi
MH
Sumin
Joanna Ooi
JO
Zabir
Azmil Farid
AF
Abdul Rahman
Mohd Ramzisham
MR
D000293:Adolescent; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications