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A chest tube (also chest drain, thoracic catheter, tube thoracostomy or intercostal drain) is a surgical drain that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space or the mediastinum. The insertion of the tube is sometimes a lifesaving procedure.
This allows one to monitor the sub-atmospheric pressure very close to the pleural space; therefore, the system works correctly, irrespective of where it is placed. Data measured next to the pleural space comes quite close to the real pressure within the pleural space [6] Shortened drainage time: Healing is a dynamic process.
Furthermore, complications such as pleural effusion or hemothorax can occur if the chest tubes fail to drain the fluid around the lung in the pleural space after a thoracotomy. [13] Clinicians should be on the look out for chest tube clogging as these tubes have a tendency to become occluded with fibrinous material or clot in the post operative ...
A thoracostomy is a small incision of the chest wall, [1] with maintenance of the opening for drainage. [2] It is most commonly used for the treatment of a pneumothorax.This is performed by physicians, paramedics, and nurses usually via needle thoracostomy or an incision into the chest wall with the insertion of a thoracostomy tube (chest tube) or with a hemostat and the provider's finger ...
Thoracentesis / ˌ θ ɔː r ə s ɪ n ˈ t iː s ɪ s /, also known as thoracocentesis (from Greek θώραξ (thōrax, GEN thōrakos) 'chest, thorax' and κέντησις (kentēsis) 'pricking, puncture'), pleural tap, needle thoracostomy, or needle decompression (often used term), is an invasive medical procedure to remove fluid or air from the pleural space for diagnostic or therapeutic ...
This enables air and fluid to be unidirectionally extracted from the pleural cavity. [36] Chest tubes are usually removed one week after surgery along with any stitches or staples in the incisions. Patients experiencing shortness of breath will be guided through deep breathing or coughing exercises by a physician or respiratory therapist.
It is important to avoid a chest tube becoming obstructed by clotted blood as obstruction prevents adequate drainage of the pleural space. Clotting occurs as the clotting cascade is activated when the blood leaves the blood vessels and comes into contact with the pleural surface, injured lung or chest wall, or the thoracostomy tube.
The pleural cavity, or pleural space (or sometimes intrapleural space), is the potential space between the pleurae of the pleural sac that surrounds each lung. A small amount of serous pleural fluid is maintained in the pleural cavity to enable lubrication between the membranes , and also to create a pressure gradient .