Wednesday, October 21, 2015

lapse of concentration


i had a lapse of concentration yesterday.

i was doing an invasive procedure called central venous cannulation, essentially inserting a plastic tube (red arrows) into a vein lying within the chest, when i accidentally punctured the left lung.

this resulted in an abnormal collection of air (yellow arrows) called a pneumothorax in the space between the left lung and the diaphragm. it was potentially life-threatening and was managed by inserting another tube into the chest that provides an escape route for the air pocket into a bottle.

i just think it could have been avoided had i been more cautious. in a way, it was timely that it happened. i've been on a roll lately & this is just the wake-up call needed to remind me of the oath i took at the beginning of my career.....

first of all, do not harm.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...



Thank God you had the presence of mind later to correct your mistake

Unknown said...



Thank God for your presence of mind to "right" the "wrong"


just me


mun said...

my friend experience spontaneous pneumothorax in one lung. what a timely wakeup call.

doc said...

Mun,

some young people have this problem. if it happens more than once, usually surgery is recommended.