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Point-of-care pleural and lung ultrasound in a newborn suffering from cardiac arrest due to tension pneumothorax after cardiac surgery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2015

Angelo Polito
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Daniele G. Biasucci*
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, A. Gemelli Medical School, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
Paola Cogo
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
*
Correspondence to: Dr D. G. Biasucci, MD, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, A. Gemelli Teaching Hospital, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, L.go A. Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy. Tel: +39 063 015 4848; Fax: +39 063 015 4507; E-mail: bias.dg@gmail.com

Abstract

We report the case of a 12-day-old newborn affected by coarctation of the aorta and intraventricular defect who underwent coarctectomy and pulmonary artery banding. On post-operative day 7, the patient suffered from pulseless electric activity due to tension pneumothorax. Point-of-care ultrasound was performed during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an attempt to diagnose pneumothorax. The diagnosis was made without delaying or interrupting chest compressions, and the pneumothorax was promptly treated.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2015 

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