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Case report: Successful multimodal assessment and management of chemothorax.

Authors :: Panza T
Quercia R
Signore F
De Iaco G
Brascia D
Sampietro D
Gasbarro AR
Dell'Aera M
Lorusso V
Marulli G
De Palma A
Source :: Frontiers in surgery [Front Surg] 2022 Jul 26; Vol. 9, pp. 921968. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Jul 26 (Print Publication: 2022).
Publication Year :: 2022
Abstract: Dislocation or wrong placement of central venous catheters into the pleural cavity is rare, but if undiagnosed, may cause major, sometimes life-threatening, complications (pneumothorax, hemothorax, infection, and migration) and accidental pleural effusion due to intravenous injection of fluids containing drugs (i.e. chemotherapy, antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, other). We report a rare case of pleural effusion consisting of chemotherapy (chemothorax) directly injected into the pleural cavity due to the wrong placement of a central venous catheter (Porth-A-Cath) in a woman with breast cancer. A multidisciplinary management consisting of antidote administration, followed by removal of the venous device and washing of the pleural cavity through video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), avoided any major complication related to the adverse event.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.<br /> (© 2022 Panza, Quercia, Signore, De Iaco, Brascia, Sampietro, Gasbarro, Dell'Aera, Lorusso, Marulli and De Palma.)