PERFORATION OF THE RIGHT VENTRICLE - A COMPLICATION OF BLIND PLACEMENT OF A CHEST TUBE INTO THE POSTPNEUMONECTOMY SPACE

We were asked to review a case from an outside hospital in which there was inadvertent perforation of the right ventricle during the percuta neous placement of a chest tube. We present the case in the hopes that by doing so, others will avoid such a complication in the future. Aft er reviewing the case, it appeared that die complication occurred beca use the physician was not knowledgeable about the anatomy of the postp neumonectomy space and the physician faded to use the safest procedure in placing the tube.