title: Chest tube injury to left ventricle: complication or negligence?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart and Lung Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hairufaizi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haron
authors.forename: Norfaezan Abdul
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Mohd Zamrin
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Dimon
authors.forename: Muhd Helmi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.forename: Joanna Ooi
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Sumin
authors.forename: Azmil Farid
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Zabir
authors.forename: Mohd Ramzisham
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abdul Rahman
mesh_terms: 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