A Case of Unrecognized Intrathoracic Placement of a Subclavian Central Venous Catheter in a Patient with Large Traumatic Hemothorax. (11th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wallin, Dina; Privette, Alicia R.; Campbell, Andre R.; Tang, Julin F.
• Other Names: Loh Ching H. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in emergency medicine. Volume 2015(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-08-11
• Subjects: Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; Emergency Medicine; Emergency medicine; Periodicals; Periodicals; Case Reports; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.025
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/382624
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-648X

Abstract

Abstract : Traditional recommendations suggest placement of a subclavian central venous catheter (CVC) ipsilateral to a known pneumothorax to minimize risk of bilateral pneumothorax. We present the case of a 65-year-old male with a right hemopneumothorax who was found to have intrathoracic placement of his right subclavian CVC at thoracotomy despite successful aspiration of blood and transduction of central venous pressure (CVP). We thus recommend extreme caution with the interpretation of CVC placement by blood aspiration and CVP measurement alone in patients with large volume ipsilateral hemothorax.