Open AccessLeft ventricular puncture during thoracentesis
Author(s) -
Daniel Farinas Lugo,
Prasad Chalasani,
Veronica del Calvo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
bmj case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.231
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 1757-790X
DOI - 10.1136/bcr-2018-227613
Subject(s) - medicine , thoracentesis , thoracotomy , ventricle , catheter , pericardial effusion , complication , surgery , ultrasound , cardiology , radiology , pleural effusion
Left ventricular puncture during a thoracentesis is a rare and unusual complication that has yet to be reported. We report a case in which a 74-year-old woman with dilated ischaemic heart disease suffered from puncture of the left ventricle during a routine ultrasound-guided thoracentesis despite following the recommended protocol and procedures. She became haemodynamically unstable and underwent an emergent thoracotomy for removal of the catheter and repair of the left ventricular wall.