A case of inferior phrenic artery injury after chest drainage treated laparoscopically

Chest drainage is a commonly performed surgical procedure. However, caution is required when performing this procedure because of its serious complications. One complication is vascular injury. Endovascular treatment has been prioritized in patients requiring hemostasis. We report the case of an 87-year-old woman, who presented to our hospital with dyspnea caused by massive pleural effusion. We decided to perform chest tube placement for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment. The inferior phrenic artery was injured during chest drainage, resulting in hemorrhagic shock. Catheter embolization was considered, but it was deemed difficult due to the patient's abnormal blood vessel. Instead, hemostasis was induced via laparoscopy. This is the first report on the safety of laparoscopic hemostasis for inferior phrenic artery bleeding. By devising, we were able to perform hemostatsis safely under laparoscopy.