What Is Done After A Tube Thoracostomy?

A tube thoracostomy, also known as open chest drainage, is a surgical procedure to drain the collection of pleural fluid, air, blood, or pus from your pleural cavity through a tube inserted in your chest.

In some situations, such as severe traumatic injuries to the chest, a tube thoracostomy becomes an emergency and a life-saving procedure. If you also require a tube thoracostomy procedure, then you must schedule an appointment with an expert surgeon via centese.com/thoracic-surgery/.

Image Source: Google

Thoracostomy tubes or catheters placed in hospitalized patients require a daily assessment to determine the presence of air leak, provide ongoing adjustment of suction level, and monitor for malfunction, which may include obstruction, malposition, or disconnection.

Usually after the procedure:

  • Your doctor will order a chest X-ray to confirm the correct placement of the chest tube.
  • They will monitor you by closing and opening the valve of the chest tube to allow the flow and stop the drainage as needed.
  • After adequate drainage, they will remove your chest tube and close the wound with sutures and bandages.
  • They will perform a chest X-ray to confirm the resolution of your original disease. Another chest X-ray taken several hours after the removal of the chest tube will show if a complication such as pneumothorax has developed.