Thoracostomy tubes after acute chest injury: relationship between location in a pleural fissure and function. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1994 Dec;163(6):1339-42
Date
12/01/1994Pubmed ID
7992724DOI
10.2214/ajr.163.6.7992724Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028559785 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 40 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine how often chest tubes placed for acute trauma lie within a pleural fissure and to determine whether an intrapleural location influences outcome.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-eight consecutive thoracostomy patients who had 66 chest tubes were studied prospectively. Tube location was determined from frontal and lateral chest radiographs. Outcome measures recorded included the following: duration of thoracostomy drainage, quantity of pleural fluid drained, need for further tubes, length of hospital stay, appearance on last chest radiograph before discharge, and need for surgical intervention.
RESULTS: Thirty-eight (58%) of the tubes were placed within a pulmonary fissure, 15 (23%) were posterior, nine (13%) were anterior, and four (6%) were in other locations. We found no significant difference in any of the outcome measures between tubes located in the fissure and other tubes.
CONCLUSION: A large percentage of tubes placed for acute chest trauma lie within a pleural fissure. These tubes, however, appear to function as effectively as those located elsewhere in the pleural space.
Author List
Curtin JJ, Goodman LR, Quebbeman EJ, Haasler GBAuthors
Lawrence Goodman MD Emeritus Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of WisconsinEdward J. Quebbeman MD Emeritus Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Acute DiseaseAdolescent
Adult
Aged
Chest Tubes
Drainage
Female
Humans
Lung
Male
Middle Aged
Pleura
Pleural Effusion
Prospective Studies
Radiography
Thoracic Injuries
Thoracostomy
