A chest tube misplaced in the heart?

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2018 May 1;53(5):1091-1092. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezx412.

Abstract

A 69-year-old patient with a malignant right pleural effusion experienced an inadvertent chest tube insertion through the hepatic vein, which ended up in the right ventricle. This rare complication occurred using a 14-Fr Thal-Quick chest tube (Seldinger method). The chest tube was successfully removed in a non-operative approach.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Chest Tubes / adverse effects*
  • Drainage / adverse effects*
  • Embolization, Therapeutic
  • Humans
  • Intraoperative Complications* / diagnostic imaging
  • Intraoperative Complications* / etiology
  • Intraoperative Complications* / surgery
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery
  • Male
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / surgery
  • Thoracostomy / adverse effects*