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Pleurocutaneous fistula after tube thoracostomy: Sonographic findings
Author(s) -
Lin MingTzer,
Shih JinYuan,
Lee YungChie,
Yang PanChyr
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.20466
Subject(s) - medicine , thoracostomy , fistula , radiology , chest tube , surgery , complication , foreign body , ultrasound , pneumothorax
Pleurocutaneous fistula is defined as a pathologic communication between the pleural space and the subcutaneous tissues. It can occur as a complication of an infectious process, neoplasm, foreign body aspiration, or iatrogenic procedures. Diagnosis is usually made on imaging studies, such as CT. We describe a 72‐year‐old woman with esophageal cancer who underwent chest tube placement for postesophagectomy drainage. After removal of the chest tube, a right chest wall mass was noted. Transcutaneous sonographic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of pleurocutaneous fistula. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008