Introduction
An Intercostal catheter
(chest tube, chest drain, thoracic catheter, tube thoracostomy, or intercostal drain)
is a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space. It is used to remove air (pneumothorax) or fluid (pleural effusion, haemothorax, chyle), or pus (empyema) from the intrathoracic space.
Thoracic injury can result in a pneumothorax or haemothorax. Thoracic injury also accounts for 25% of all trauma deaths. Despite its severity, less than 10% of blunt chest injuries and 15%–30% of penetrating thoracic trauma require thoracotomy. Most patients are cared for with simple interventions such as chest tube thoracostomy.
An Intercostal catheter
(chest tube, chest drain, thoracic catheter, tube thoracostomy, or intercostal drain)
is a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space. It is used to remove air (pneumothorax) or fluid (pleural effusion, haemothorax, chyle), or pus (empyema) from the intrathoracic space.
Thoracic injury can result in a pneumothorax or haemothorax. Thoracic injury also accounts for 25% of all trauma deaths. Despite its severity, less than 10% of blunt chest injuries and 15%–30% of penetrating thoracic trauma require thoracotomy. Most patients are cared for with simple interventions such as chest tube thoracostomy.
An Intercoastal catheter
(chest tube, chest drain, thoracic catheter, tube thoracostomy, or intercostal drain)
is a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space. It is used to remove air (pneumothorax) or fluid (pleural effusion, haemothorax, chyle), or pus (empyema) from the intrathoracic space.
Thoracic injury can result in a pneumothorax or haemothorax. Thoracic injury also accounts for 25% of all trauma deaths. Despite its severity, less than 10% of blunt chest injuries and 15%–30% of penetrating thoracic trauma require thoracotomy. Most patients are cared for with simple interventions such as chest tube thoracostomy.
