Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Post-operative pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is often treated using thoracic epidural analgesics or thoracic paravertebral analgesics. This article describes a case where a thoracic disc herniation is treated with a thoracoscopic microdiscectomy with post-operative thoracic epidural analgesics. The patient developed a bupivacaine pleural effusion which mimicked a hemothorax on computed tomography (CT).
METHODS: The presence of bupivacaine in the pleural effusion was confirmed using a high performance liquid chromatography method.
RESULTS: The patient underwent a re-exploration to relieve the pleural effusion. The patient showed a long-term recovery similar to what can be expected from an uncomplicated thoracoscopic microdiscectomy.
CONCLUSIONS: A pleural effusion may occur when thoracic epidural analgesics are used in patents with a corridor between the pleural cavity and epidural space.
METHODS: The presence of bupivacaine in the pleural effusion was confirmed using a high performance liquid chromatography method.
RESULTS: The patient underwent a re-exploration to relieve the pleural effusion. The patient showed a long-term recovery similar to what can be expected from an uncomplicated thoracoscopic microdiscectomy.
CONCLUSIONS: A pleural effusion may occur when thoracic epidural analgesics are used in patents with a corridor between the pleural cavity and epidural space.
摘要：
目的：电视胸腔镜手术后的术后疼痛通常使用胸段硬膜外镇痛药或胸椎旁镇痛药治疗。本文介绍了一种通过胸腔镜显微椎间盘切除术和术后胸段硬膜外镇痛药治疗胸椎间盘突出症的情况。患者出现布比卡因胸腔积液，在计算机断层扫描（CT）上模仿血胸。
方法：使用高效液相色谱法确认胸腔积液中布比卡因的存在。
结果：患者接受再次探查以缓解胸腔积液。患者的长期恢复与简单的胸腔镜显微椎间盘切除术的预期相似。
结论：当在胸膜腔和硬膜外腔之间有走廊的患者中使用胸腔硬膜外镇痛药时，可能会发生胸腔积液。
方法：使用高效液相色谱法确认胸腔积液中布比卡因的存在。
结果：患者接受再次探查以缓解胸腔积液。患者的长期恢复与简单的胸腔镜显微椎间盘切除术的预期相似。
结论：当在胸膜腔和硬膜外腔之间有走廊的患者中使用胸腔硬膜外镇痛药时，可能会发生胸腔积液。
