The British journal of clinical practice
-
Case Reports
The incidence of delayed pneumothorax as a complication of subclavian vein catheterisation.
Delayed pneumothorax after subclavian vein catheterisation is a poorly recognised complication which can result hours or days after the catheter placement. We present our experience, during a three-year prospective study of 318 patients with 343 catheter placements in the subclavian vein. ⋯ Two patients (0.6%) developed delayed asymptomatic pneumothorax that was recognised 48 and 72 hours after the catheter placement. The importance of recognition and treatment of this complication is obvious in patients with a central venous catheter, especially when they are to be operated under general anaesthesia and/or mechanical respiratory support.
-
Pneumothorax is a very unusual presenting complication of a perforated abdominal viscus. We present two such cases. The importance of close scrutiny of chest radiographs taken for abdominal disease is stressed.
-
We report a 60-year-old woman who developed severe cutaneous vasculitis three weeks after commencing quinine sulphate (300 mg at night) for nocturnal cramps. The patient died despite immunosuppressive treatment with prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. ⋯ Adverse reactions to the drug are unusual. We describe a 60-year-old woman with fatal cutaneous vasculitis related to quinine treatment.