Barotraumatic pneumothorax during cardiopulmonary bypass: a rare complication of open heart surgery

In the absence of underlying lung disease, pneumothorax is a rare complication of open heart surgery in patients on cardiopulmonary bypass. However, barotraumatic pneumothoraces may be induced by manually applied endotracheal tube positive pressure to prevent air emboli from the left heart during open heart surgery. Two patients in whom barotraumatic pneumothoraces occurred during cardiopulmonary bypass and open heart surgery are reported.