Left ventricular puncture during thoracentesis

Abstract

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.

A pleural drainage tube misplaced into the right atrium

“…Common complications of thoracentesis included pain, bleeding, pneumothorax and infection [ 1 ]. Cardiac perforation has been reported as a possible complication of thoracentesis in patients with cardiomegaly or distortion of normal human anatomy [ 2 ].…”