What is the most common complication of thoracostomy tube placement?
What is the most common complication of thoracostomy tube placement?
Abdominal or thoracic injury, fistula formation and vascular trauma are among the most serious, but more common complications such as recurrent pneumothorax, insertion site infection and nonfunctioning or malpositioned TT also represent a significant source of morbidity and treatment cost.
What are complications of chest tube?
In general, chest tube complications are categorized as insertional, positional or infective. More specifically, pain, vascular injury, improper positioning of the tube, inadvertent tube removal, postremoval complications, longer hospital stays, empyema and pneumonia have been reported in up to 30% of cases.
What are the complications of chest drainage?
Pleural drain complications
- Tension pneumonthorax.
- Trauma to intrathoracic structures, intra-abdominal structures and intercostal muscles.
- Re-expansion pulmonary oedema.
- Haemorrhage.
- Incorrect tube position.
- Blocked tube.
- Pleural drain falls out.
- Subcutaneous emphysema.
What is the most common complication after pleural drainage?
Pneumothorax is the most common complication of thoracentesis.
What are some possible complications that a patient with a chest tube may experience how would the nurse intervene in these situations?
Potential complications associated with chest tube insertion
| Potential complications | Cause | Signs/symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Tension pneumothorax | Re-clamping or removing chest tube despite ongoing air leak Loss of tube patency | Acute chest pain Dyspnea Tachypnea Deviated trachea Hypotension |
What are safety considerations when caring for a patient with a chest tube?
Never lift drain above chest level
- Never lift drain above chest level.
- The unit and all tubing should be below patient’s chest level to facilitate drainage.
- Tubing should have no kinks or obstructions that may inhibit drainage.
- Ensure all connections between chest tubes and drainage unit are tight and secure.
What is the difference between thoracotomy and thoracostomy?
Thoracotomy is surgery that makes an incision to access the chest. It’s often done to remove part or all of a lung in people with lung cancer. Thoracostomy is a procedure that places a tube in the space between your lungs and chest wall (pleural space).
How do you monitor a chest tube?
Assess chest tube insertion site to ensure sterile dressing is dry and intact. Check insertion site for subcutaneous emphysema. Dressing should remain dry and intact; no drainage holes should be visible in the chest tube. Dressing is generally changed 24 hours post-insertion, then every 48 hours.
Where is a thoracostomy performed?
Thoracostomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a doctor inserts a thin plastic tube into the pleural space — the area between the chest wall and lungs. They may attach the tube to a suction device to remove excess fluid or air. Or, they may use the chest tube to deliver medications into the pleural space.
How do you assess a chest tube?
