CONTRALATERAL PNEUMOTHORAX FOLLOWING THORACOTOMY FOR VERTEBRECTOMY

A 21-year-old woman underwent correction of congenital thoracic kyphos coliosis. The procedure was completed in two stages. The first stage i nvolved light thoracotomy and anterior vertebrectomy. Following positi onal obstruction of her right-sided chest drain she developed a very l arge, left-sided pneumothorax in the immediate postoperative period. N o attempt at central venous line placement had been made on the left s ide. Breach of the midline at vertebrectomy may allow pleural gas to c ross and cause a contralateral pneumothorax.