Intrathoracic but extra-pleural chest tube placement; an unusual case of chest tube malposition in the trauma setting

Abstract

We present the case of a 20-year-old male who was transferred to our Major Trauma Centre following a high-speed motor vehicle rollover. He arrived intubated with a right sided ICC in place. On arrival we elected to replace this ICC due to concerns regarding a superficial position, however 24 h after replacement, a large right sided pneumothorax developed. We suspect that both the pre-hospital ICC, as well as the ICC which we replaced it with, were unusually sited in the intrathoracic but extrapleural position.