Bilateral tension pneumothoraces leading to cardiac arrest after coronary artery bypass surgery.
Bilateral pneumothoraces are a very rare event. In clinical settings, inadvertent incursion into the pleural space resulting from diagnostic or therapeutic medical interventions such as bilateral venipunctures or damage to the lung parenchyma due to high pressure ventilation may be causative. Bilateral pneumothoraces postcardiac surgery are rarely reported. We present the case of bilateral tension pneumothoraces leading up to cardiorespiratory arrest in a 57-year-old male, weighing 130 kg, who underwent without any complications a coronary artery bypass surgery. Thoracic chest tubes (retrosternal and intrapericardial) and a left pleural tube were removed 24 hours prior to the incident. Diffuse sternal pain sensation accompanied by slow progressive respiratory distress and confusion shortly before the incident were all developed over a period of 12 hours. A prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation and bilateral chest tube insertion had prevented a fatality in the patient.
Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Rostock Medical Faculty, University Heart Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany. uju77de@yahoo.de
Anthony
A
Alozie
Bernd
B
Westphal
Can
C
Yerebakan
Gustav
G
Steinhoff
D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D015505:Chest Tubes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome