[The devil is in the details: wrong side thoracic drainage].

This is a case report of a chest tube incorrectly placed on the healthy left side in a patient with a spontaneous right-sided pneumothorax based on misguiding radiological findings. This erroneous chest tube placement was a result of an inconclusive clinical examination in a patient with a history of pulmonary fibrosis as well as the side-inverted digital production of the chest X‑ray. Follow-up chest X‑ray after chest tube placement on the wrong side displayed this serious adverse event. To avoid such errors, team training, bedside sonography, and checklists are important tools. Correctly documented radiological images should also be ensured.