Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Sağlık Bakanlığı Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Kalp Damar Cerrahisi Kliniği ANKARA Tube thoracostomy is an invasive procedure and may cause complications in inexperienced hands. We present a case where a chest tube placed into the chest wall. A 65-year-old man was brought to our hospital due to a vehicle accident. The initial treatment was done at the accident place. The chest roentgenogram showed a left sided hemo-pneumothorax, multiple rib fractures and a chest tube inserted to the thoracic wall. To exclude other possible injuries, a computed tomography was performed, revealing the same condition. Multiple rib fractures, subcutaneous emphysema or excessive hematoma can make chest tube insertion difficult due to balloting thoracic wall and the clamp may be inserted into the chest wall leaving the tube ectopically. Elderly patients sustaining blunt chest trauma with rib fractures have increased mortality and thoracic morbidity of younger patients with similar injuries. So in elderly patients great caution is necessary not to produce additional complications. Keywords : Chest tube, Complication, Hemopneumothorax