Perforation of the left ventricle wall with pleural drainage tubes has been occasionally reported in the past. In this study, we strived to examine the required force on a porcine ex-vivo model with two distinct procedures, namely with mere catheters and with the needle and dilatator involved with the Seldinger technique using the PleurX™ system.

The porcine hearts enveloped in their pericardial sacks were placed on a scale upon which the different catheter systems were then tested as to the necessary perforating force.

The silicone drainage tubes were unable to damage the pericardium or the left ventricle. The needle of the PleurX™ system could perforate the heart with a force of as little as 1.3 N and the dilatator with a minimum force of 8.1 N.