Avoiding Aortic Injury During Thoracentesis: A Case Report with An Emphasis on Ultrasound Guidance

Percutaneous pigtail catheter thoracentesis is a common and relatively safe procedure for pleural drainage, often performed with ultrasound guidance. While injury to an intrathoracic organ is a rare and sometimes fatal complication of this procedure, ultrasound is an excellent tool for avoiding this complication and for evaluating pleural effusion. In this case report, the use of ultrasound imaging with various techniques and planes prior to and during thoracentesis is described for the identification of the thoracic aorta and for avoidance of fatal aortic injury.