Abstract

We experienced an extremely unusual case of a 37-year-old woman who suffered from hemothorax soon after subclavian vein catheterization. Many case reports of a hemothorax or hematoma after central vein catheterization through the great vessels, such as the subclavian vein and internal jugular vein, have been published. However, this rare case showed a pinpoint-sized active bleeding site from a pulmonary arteriole rupture. During an emergency operation using thoracoscopy-assisted minithoracotomy, this bleeding site was successfully managed by primary repair.

• Keywords: central venous catheterization;hemothorax;pulmonary arteriole rupture;thorcoscopy-assisted minithoracotomy