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Accidental pleural puncture by a thoracic epidural catheter
Author(s) -
Zaugg M.,
Stoehr S.,
Weder W.,
Zollinger A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1998.00304.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pneumothorax , catheter , accidental , surgery , anesthesia , cardiothoracic surgery , acoustics , physics
We report the occurrence of an accidental pleural puncture by an epidural catheter that happened during the attempted induction of thoracic epidural anaesthesia using a paramedian approach in an awake patient. The incorrect placement of the catheter was recognised while the patient was undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. The possibility of accidental pleural puncture during attempted thoracic epidural catheter placement by either the paramedian or the midline approach should be borne in mind. A misplaced catheter may injure lung tissue and result in a potentially dangerous intra‐operative tension pneumothorax.