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Pulmonary artery perforation by a tube thoracostomy

Department of Surgery, Teikyo School of Medicine, 2-11 Kaga 2-Chome, Itabashi-Ku, Tokyo 173, Japan

*Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-3-3964-1228; fax: +81-3-3962-2128.

E-mail address: takanami{at}med.teikyo-u.ac.jp (I. Takanami).

A 74-year-old woman was hospitalized in another institution because of a left-sided empyema and bronchopneumonia. A trocar-type chest tube was inserted. Upon withdrawal of the trocar, blood was seen flowing from the draining system and she developed hypotension. The patient was then transferred to our hospital and a diagnosis of pulmonary artery perforation was made. The patient was treated successfully with left pneumonectomy. Pulmonary artery perforation following chest tube placement is a rare and serious complication. When blood is seen following chest tube insertion a pulmonary artery perforation should be considered.

Key Words: Pulmonary artery perforation; Chest tube; Tube thoracostomy; Complication; Trocar method