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Case of the Month - Case 3/2000

Mathew Joseph M.Ch.
Assistant Professor
Departments of Neurosurgery
The University of Texas-Houston, Health Science Center Medical School Physical Address

Joseph L Nates M.D.
Assistant Professor
Departments of Neurosurgery and Anesthesia-Critical Care Medicine
The University of Texas-Houston, Health Science Center Medical School Physical Address

Citation: M. Joseph & J. L. Nates : Case of the Month - Case 3/2000 . The Internet Journal of Radiology. 2000 Volume 1 Number 1


Keywords: anesthesiology | anesthesia | intensive care medicine | critical care medicine | trauma | regional anesthesia | education | multimedia | internet | online | electronic publication | peer-review

 

Table of Contents



Case Study

This is a critically ill 24 year-old female patient, requiring a pulmonary artery (PA) catheter for hemodynamic management. Below are the 3 consecutive chest X rays, the first after a routine insertion of the PA catheter.

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X-Ray 1

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X-Ray 2

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X-Ray 3

    What is your diagnosis?What is the incidence of this pathology?What are the risk factors?What is the known mortality rate?What would be your treatment options?

Question 1: What is your diagnosis?

A: The patient has developed a hemothorax due to rupture of the pulmonary artery, caused by the PA catheter.

Other potential complications due to use of a PA catheter include pneumothorax, arrhythmias, pulmonary infarction, sepsis and endocarditis, balloon rupture and subclavian artery injury.

Question 2: What is the incidence of this pathology?

A: Published reports range of pulmonary artery rupture as a complication of the PA catheter range from 0.001% to 0.47%. 1 Postulated mechanisms include distal tip migration penetrating the wall during balloon deflation, 2 overdistention of the balloon with fluid 3 and traction on an inflated, wedged balloon.4.

Question 3: What are the risk factors

A: Proposed risk factors include age over 60 years, pulmonary hypertension, improper balloon inflation, improper catheter positioning, cardiopulmonary bypass and anticoagulation. 1

Question 4: What is the known mortality rate?

A: Thoracotomy appears to improve survival (50%) in patients who develop a hemothorax, whereas conservative treatment in these patients is not successful. 1 Patients who do not develop a hemothorax have a 25% mortality rate.

Question 5: What would be your treatment options?

A: Nonsurgical options include flexible bronchoscopy and Fogarty catheter tamponade, 5 applying high PEEP 6 and conservative treatment, all of which are recommended in patients without a hemothorax. Double lumen intubation to protect the noninvolved lung has also been recommended. 7

Surgical options require a thoracotomy with arterial repair, 5 pneumonectomy 7 or lobectomy. 8

References

1. Kearney TJ, Shabot MM: Pulmonary artery rupture associated with the Swan-Ganz catheter. Chest 1995; 108: 1349-52. (s)

2. Johnston WE, Royster RL, Vinten-Johansen J, et al: Influence of balloon inflation and deflation on location of pulmonary artery catheter tip. Anesthesiology 1987; 67: 110-15. (s)

3. Hardy JF, Morisette M, Taillefer J, et al: Pathophysiology of rupture of the pulmonary artery by pulmonary artery balloon-tipped catheters. Anesth Analg 1983; 62: 925-30. (s)

4. Farber DL, Rose DM, Bassell GM et al: Hemoptysis and pneumothorax after removal of a persistently wedged pulmonary artery catheter. Crit Care Med 1977; 14: 748-49. (s)

5. Kelly TF, Morris GC, Crawford ES, et al: Perforation of the pulmonary artery with Swan-Ganz catheters: diagnosis and surgical management. Ann Surg 1981; 193: 686-91. (s)

6. Scuderi PE, Prough DS, Price JD, et al: Cessation of pulmonary catheter-induced endobronchial hemorrhage associated with the use of PEEP. Anesth Analg 1983; 62: 236-38. (s)

7. Barash PG, Nardi D, Hammond G, et al: Catheter induced pulmonary artery penetration: mechanisms, management and modifications. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1981; 82: 5-12. (s)

8. McDaniel DD, Stone JG, Faltas AN, et al: Catheter induced pulmonary artery hemorrhage: diagnosis and management in cardiac operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1981; 82: 1-4. (s)


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