TY - JOUR T1 - Bilateral Pneumothoraces Following a Right Subclavian Catheter Insertion After Thymectomy for a Patient With a Myasthenic Crisis JF - Ochsner Journal JO - Ochsner J SP - 256 LP - 258 VL - 13 IS - 2 AU - Alaa A. Abd-Elsayed AU - Tamer Ghaly AU - Ehab Farag AU - Wael Ali Sakr Esa Y1 - 2013/06/20 UR - http://www.ochsnerjournal.org/content/13/2/256.abstract N2 - Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease involving the formation of antibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Thymectomy is the treatment in MG patients with thymoma. We report a case of an MG patient who developed postthymectomy bilateral pneumothoraces after the placement of a subclavian central venous catheter.Case Report The 21-year-old patient with MG underwent a thymectomy and, in a later admission, complained of myasthenic crisis symptoms. He was scheduled to receive plasma exchange therapy and electromyography the following day. Plasmapheresis was initiated after the placement of a right subclavian dialysis catheter. Postinsertion chest x-ray revealed bilateral pneumothoraces after a single unilateral attempt to cannulate the right subclavian vein. A right thoracotomy tube was placed with interval resolution of the bilateral pneumothoraces.Conclusion The development of bilateral pneumothoraces in this case was attributed to the possible accidental communication between the 2 pleural spaces, which rarely happens during thymectomy surgery. ER -