Perforation of the right ventricle by a suction drain

Suction drains can be used as alternatives to conventional underwater seal drains following cardiac surgery, and may be advantageous under some circum stances. The authors present a case where a suction drain eroded into the r ight ventricle causing near-fatal haemorrhage following coronary artery sur gery. Caution should be exercised in taking the decision to use suction dra ins, the material from which they are manufactured should be chosen careful ly, and close attention paid to their positioning within the mediastinum. ( C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.