Frequency and management of pneumothoraces in heart-lung transplant recipients.

Abstract

To determine the frequency and describe the clinical relevance of simultaneous bilateral pneumothoraces in heart-lung transplant recipients. The chest radiographs in 72 consecutive heart-lung transplant recipients were retrospectively reviewed. The study group consisted of 15 patients with a pneumothorax that occurred after removal of surgically placed drainage tubes and subsequent complete expansion of both lungs. Simultaneous bilateral pneumothoraces occurred in six patients (40%); 10 episodes of unilateral pneumothorax occurred in nine patients (60%). Causes of pneumothoraces included transthoracic fine-needle biopsy (n = 5), bronchoscopic biopsy (n = 3), placement of a central venous catheter (n = 3), and thoracentesis (n = 3); no cause was found in two cases. Physicians who perform transthoracic interventions in this patient population should be aware of the likelihood of persistent pleural communications and the possibility of potentially life-threatening bilateral pneumothoraces.