PULMONARY-ARTERY PSEUDOANEURYSM AFTER TUBE THORACOSTOMY

Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm has been described as a complication o f Swan-Ganz catheterization and right heart catheterization. Isolated cases of this condition occurring in blunt and penetrating chest traum a have been reported. In this communication, we describe the case of a patient with intracranial hemorrhage who required positive-pressure v entilation and in whom subsequent pneumothorax developed, necessitatin g tube thoracostomy. A persistent opacification of the lung field resu lted in evaluation with computed chest tomography and color-flow Doppl er ultrasonography. A pseudoaneurysm of the lingular segmental artery was identified and successfully obliterated by Gelfoam coil embolizati on. (C) 1997 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.