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Ultrasound‐assisted aspiration of loculated pneumothorax: A new technique
Author(s) -
Skaarup Søren Helbo,
Folkersen Birgitte Holst
Publication year - 2016
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.22326
Subject(s) - medicine , pneumothorax , ultrasound , radiology , surgery
In this report, we describe a new sonographic (US) technique that can assist in the aspiration of a loculated pneumothorax. Patients may develop loculated pneumothorax as a result of such conditions as pleural malignancy or pleural infection or after undergoing thoracic surgery. Often the loculated pneumothorax is outside of safe areas, and chest tubes need to be placed near vital structures. This report presents the cases of three patients with iatrogenic loculated pneumothorax that required aspiration. We used US to assist in the placement of chest tubes, and we describe our technique of US‐assisted aspiration of loculated pneumothorax. The procedure is a new approach to a common problem in chest medicine that may increase the safety of treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44 :326–330, 2016