TY - JOUR A2 - Talmor, Daniel S. AU - Pazos, F. AU - Masterson, K. AU - Inan, C. AU - Robert, J. AU - Walder, B. PY - 2009 DA - 2009/11/05 TI - Bilateral Pneumothoraces Following Central Venous Cannulation SP - 745713 VL - 2009 AB - We report the occurrence of a bilateral pneumothoraces after unilateral central venous catheterization of the right subclavian vein in a 70-year-old patient. The patient had no history of pulmonary or pleural disease and no history of cardiothoracic surgery. Two days earlier, she had a median laparotomy under general and epidural anaesthesia. Prior to the procedure, the patient was hemodynamically stable and her transcutaneous oxygen saturation was 97% in room air. We punctured the right pleural space before cannulation of the right subclavian vein. After the procedure, the patient slowly became hemodynamically instable with respiratory distress. A chest radiograph revealed a complete left-side pneumothorax and a mild right-side pneumothorax. The right-side pneumothorax became under tension after left chest tube insertion. The symptoms finally resolved after insertion of a right chest tube. After a diagnostic work-up, we suspect a congenital “Buffalo chests” explaining bilateral pneumothoraces and a secondary tension pneumothorax. SN - 1687-9627 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/745713 DO - 10.1155/2009/745713 JF - Case Reports in Medicine PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -