Potential Indications
The following lists potential indications, but is not exhaustive: -
Large-bore chest drains
- Traumatic haemothorax (blunt or penetrating)
- Tension pneumothorax (only after needle decompression is performed)
- Traumatic simple pneumothorax
- Post cardiac and thoracic surgery
- Drainage of pus from an empyema
Smaller-bore chest drains
- Simple pneumothorax with lung that does not re-expand with aspiration or recurs
- Secondary pneumothorax in patient with lung disease
- Pneumothorax in any ventilated patient
- Removal of fluid from a malignant pleural effusion