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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.
When the pleural cavity is damaged or ruptured and the intrapleural pressure becomes greater than the atmospheric pressure, pneumothorax may ensue. Intrapleural pressure is different from intrathoracic pressure. The thoracic cavity is the space that includes the pleura, lungs, and heart, while the pleural space is only the space between the ...
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 ...
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.
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. [1]
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The combination of surface tension, oncotic pressure, and the fluid pressure drop caused by the inward elastic recoil of the lung parenchyma and the rigidity of the chest wall, results in a normally negative pressure of -5 cm H 2 O (approximately −3.68 mmHg or −0.491 kPa) within the pleural space, causing it to mostly stay collapsed as a ...