Pleurocutaneous fistula after tube thoracostomy: Sonographic findings

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