• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.368-371
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• 2012

The present study evaluated the outcome of use of thoracostomy tube tunneling technique under the latissimus dorsi muscle for the evacuation of postoperative pneumothorax induced by thoracotomy in 11 dogs. A stab incision was made through the skin and the latissimus dorsi muscle over the rib in the fifth intercostal space caudal to a surgical window. The thoracostomy tube with a Kelly hemostat was advanced into the thoracic cavity in a cranioventral direction through the sublatissimal tunnel. After tube placement, a # 1 nylon horizontal mattress suture was placed around the skin incision. The thoracostomy tube was removed after creating a negative pressure in the thoracic cavity. Dogs were monitored after surgery for pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, clinical signs including dyspnea, and tube kinking in a muscle tunnel using physical examination and postoperative radiography. There was no tube kinking in the sublatissimal tunnel in 11 dogs on introducing the tubes into the thoracic cavity. The mean (${\pm}SD$) follow-up period was $19{\pm}10$ months. On postoperative radiography, there was no evidence of pneumothorax in 11 dogs. Subcutaneous emphysema was identified around the stab incision in a dog postoperatively. The subcutaneous emphysema disappeared spontaneously within 3 days. On postoperative physical examination, there was no evidence of dyspnea in 11 dogs. Our results suggest that the sublatissimal tunneling technique for thoracostomy tube placement is effective to prevent air leakage around the thoracostomy tube while the tube remains in the thoracic cavity and along the thoracostomy tunnel after tube removal. Tunneling under the latissimus dorsi muscle should be considered the thoracostomy tube placement technique to prevent iatrogenic pneumothorax with first priority.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

Purpose: A tube thoracostomy is an invasive procedure that places patients at risk for complications. Tube thoracostomies are frequently performed by emergency medicine residents. Thus, the purpose of the study was to assess both the complication rate for tube thoracostomies performed by emergency medicine residents and the factors associated with these complications. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients who had undergone a tube thoracostomy performed by emergency medicine residents between January 2008 and February 2009 was conducted at a university hospital. Complications were divided into major and minor complications and into immediate and delayed complications. Complications requiring corrective surgical intervention, requiring the administration of blood products, or involving situations requiring intravenous antibiotics were defined as major. Complications that were detected within 2 hours were defined as immediate. Results: Tube thoracostomies were performed in 189 patients, and 70 patients(37%) experienced some complications. Most complications were immediate and minor. In multiple logistic regressions, BMI, hypotension and resident seniority were significantly associated with complications. Conclusion: The prevalence of complications was similar to these in previous reports on the complications of a tube thoracostomy. Most complications from tube thoracostomies performed by emergency medicine residents were immediate and minor complications. Thus, emergency medicine residents should be allowed to perform closed tube thoracostomies instead of thoracic surgeons.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.404-407
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• 2021

We present a case study of necrotizing fasciitis (NF), a very rare but dangerous complication of chest tube management. A 69-year-old man with shortness of breath underwent thoracostomy for chest tube placement and drainage with antibiotic treatment, followed by a computed tomography scan. He was diagnosed with thoracic empyema. Initially, a non-cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon managed the drainage, but the management was inappropriate. The patient developed NF at the tube site on the chest wall, requiring emergency fasciotomy and extensive surgical debridement. He was discharged without any complications after successful control of NF. A thoracic surgeon can perform both tube thoracostomy and tube management directly to avoid complications, as delayed drainage might result in severe complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.418-422
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• 2011

Background: It has recently become most general to use the small bore catheter to perform closed thoracostomy in treating iatrogenic pneumothorax. This study was performed for analysis of the efficacy of treatment methods by using small bore catheter such as 7 F (French) central venous catheter, 10 F trocar catheter, 12 F pigtail catheter and for analysis of the appropriateness of each procedure. Materials and Methods: From March 2007 to February 2010, Retrospective review of 105 patients with iatrogenic pneumothorax, who underwent closed thoracostomy by using small bore catheter, was performed. We analyzed the total success rate for all procedures as well as the individual success rate for each procedure, and analyzed the cause of failure, additional treatment method for failure, influential factors of treatment outcome, and complications. Results: The most common causes of iatrogenic pneumothorax were presented as percutaneous needle aspiration(PCNA) in 48 cases (45.7%), and central venous catheterization in 26 cases (24.8%). The mean interval to thoracostomy after the procedure was measured as 5.2 hours (1~34 hours). Total success rate of thoracostomy was 78.1%. The success rate was not significantly difference by tube type, with 7 F central venous catheter as 80%, 10 F trocar catheter as 81.6%, and 12 F pigtail catheter as 71%. Twenty one out of 23 patients that had failed with small bore catheter treatment added large bore conventional thoracostomy, and another 2 patients received surgery. The causes for treatment failure were presented as continuous air leakage in 12 cases (52.2%) and tube malfunction in 7 cases (30%). The causes for failure did not present significant differences by tube type. Statistically significant factors affecting treatment performance were not discovered. Conclusion: Closed thoracostomy with small bore catheter proved to be effective for iatrogenic pneumothorax. The success rate was not difference for each type. However, it is important to select the appropriate catheter by considering the patient status, pneumothorax aspect, and medical personnel in the cardiothoracic surgery department of the relevant hospital.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 1987

The records of 268 patients, who were diagnosed as spontaneous pneumothorax during the period 1975 to 1984, treated at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Hanyang University Hospital, were reviewed retrospectively to evaluate the effect of surgical intervention on each indications. Of these,.61 patients [22.8%] were taken operation to treat the pneumothorax after closed thoracostomy. We have classified the 61 patients to evaluate the therapeutic effect on each indications. And the therapeutic effect is based on the chest tube indwelling days. The results were as follows: 1. The chest tube indwelling days of the group who were taken closed thoracostomy only was average 14.13*9.17 days [range 5-66 days], and that of the group who were finally taken the thoracotomy after closed thoracostomy was 21.85*12.30 days [range 5-55 days]. 2. The indications of thoractomy were thoracoscopic findings, recurrence and continuous air leakage. 3. The chest tube indwelling day of the group who was taken thoracotomy by thoracoscopic findings was average 11.67*6.51 day, that was relatively short compared to those of the other groups. 4. The continuous air leakage group after closed thoracostomy was subdivided into three subgroups, continuous air leakage in 1st attack, thoracoscopic findings in 1st attack, and recurrence. 5. Of these, the chest tube indwelling day of the subgroup, who was taken operation by thoracoscopic findings, was 21.33e8.26, that was relatively short compared with those of the other subgroups. We use the thoracoscope as excellent diagnostic tool to detect the operation indication in the spontaneous pneumothorax patients. And we gain the benefits to shorten the chest tube indwelling days and admission days, and also to protect the recurrence.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.59-62
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• 2012

Tube thoracostomy is known to cause complications such as bleeding or infection, but the incidence of chylothorax secondary to tube thoracostomy is under-reported, and therefore, we report this case. A patient was diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus with pleural and pericardial involvement. During repeated therapeutic thoracentesis, which were performed because of poor response to steroids and cylophosphamide, hemothorax developed and we therefore inserted a chest tube. The pleural effusion changed from red to milky color in several hours and we diagnosed the pleural effusion as chylothorax. Total parenteral nutrition based on medium-chain triglycerides was supplied to this patient and chylothorax was improved after 4 days.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed at developing a novel tube thoracostomy technique using the sternum, a fixed anatomical structure, as an indicator to reduce the possibility of incorrect chest tube positioning and complications in patients with chest trauma. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the data of 184 patients with chest trauma who were aged ≥18 years, visited a single regional trauma center in Korea between April and June 2022, and underwent chest computed tomography (CT) with their arms down. The conventional gold standard, 5th intercostal space (ICS) method, was compared to the lower 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 of the sternum method by analyzing CT images. Results: When virtual tube thoracostomy routes were drawn at the mid-axillary line at the 5th ICS level, 150 patients (81.5%) on the right side and 179 patients (97.3%) on the left did not pass the diaphragm. However, at the lower 1/2 of the sternum level, 171 patients (92.9%, P<0.001) on the right and 182 patients (98.9%, P= 0.250) on the left did not pass the diaphragm. At the 5th ICS level, 129 patients (70.1%) on the right and 156 patients (84.8%) on the left were located in the safety zone and did not pass the diaphragm. Alternatively, at the lower 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 of the sternum level, 139 (75.5%, P=0.185), 49 (26.6%, P<0.001), and 10 (5.4%, P<0.001), respectively, on the right, and 146 (79.3%, P=0.041), 69 (37.5%, P<0.001), and 16 (8.7%, P<0.001) on the left were located in the safety zone and did not pass the diaphragm. Compared to the conventional 5th ICS method, the sternum 1/2 method had a safety zone prediction sensitivity of 90.0% to 90.7%, and 97.3% to 100% sensitivity for not passing the diaphragm. Conclusions: Using the sternum length as a tube thoracostomy indicator might be feasible.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2020

The prevalence of pulmonary pargonimiasis in Korea has been steadily decreasing due to develop of the public health, and there have been few clinical cases of paragonimiasis infections, especially in pneumothorax. A 22-year-old man referred to emergency department for dyspnea and chest pain. The right lung was totally collapsed on a chest X-ray. We emergently performed a closed thoracostomy with a 28-Fr chest tube. However, the air leak from the chest tube persisted for three days after the closed thoracostomy. A chest computed tomography showed multiple subpleural consolidative nodular lesions and mixed ground-glass attenuation nodules. We potentially suspected a secondary pneumothorax resulting from pulmonary paragonimiasis infection because the patient was a Chinese man who was working at a Korean restaurant. We decided to perform a medical treatment instead of pulmonary wedge resections. The air leak was discontinued three days after the prescription of praziquantel. The patient was discharged nine days after the admission. We suggest that anti-parasitic drugs are very effective in the secondary pneumothorax resulting from paragonimiasis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.983-986
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• 2004

Background: The indications of closed thoracostomy drainage in management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is well known, but there is no special specification for the size to be inserted. Recently, various minimally invasive operational techniques have been introduced and researched. According to the trend, we tried to ascertain the efficacy of 12 Fr. chest tubes instead of the existing 24 Fr. chest tubes. Material and Method: Patients who were younger than 30 years old and diagnosed as primary spontaneous pneumothorax and treated with closed thoracostomy drainage were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively compared group A who were drained with 24 Fr. chest tubes from January to May 2003 with group B with 12 Fr. chest tubes from November 2003 to April 2004 on procedure time for closed thoracostomy drainage, duration of chest tube drain, duration of hospital stay, complication, and recurrence. Result: The male to female ratio was 16 : 3 in group A and 18 : 2 in group B. The mean age of patients of group A was 21.7$\pm$4.0 and group B was 20.0$\pm$3.7. The mean procedure time for closed thoracostomy drainage in group A (21.6$\pm$2.9 minutes) was significantly longer than group B (10.8$\pm$1.9 minutes)(p < 0.05). The mean duration of chest tube drain was 3.8$\pm$ 1.7 days in group A and 4.3$\pm$2.2 in group B, and the mean duration of hospital stay was 5.6$\pm$1.9 days in group A and 5.2$\pm$1.5 days in group B. There was no complication in both groups and 6 cases in group A (35%) and 5 cases in group B (25%) were operated because of recurrence and persistent air leakage. In conclusion, there was no statistical difference except for the procedure time for closed thoracostomy drainage between two groups. Conclusion: We concluded that there were no significant differences in efficacy between 12 Fr. chest tube and 24 Fr. chest tube in closed thoracostomy drainage for primary spontaneous pneumothorax and we found advantages of 12 Fr. chest tube in shortening procedure time because of easy and simple techniques.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.532-537
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• 1993

To assess the therapy of spontaneous pneumothorax in the aged patients, the treatment methods and results in 60 patients 50 years of age or older were retrospectively reviewed. Most of the patients were male [56 of 60 patients] and the major underlying lung diseases associated with spontaneous pneumothorax were tuberculosis [32 patients] and chronic obstructive lung disease [20 patients]. The recurrence rate of thoracostomy tube drainage with or without chemical pleurodesis using tetracycline was 39.6% [21 of 53 patients], but there was no recurrence in the patients treated with open thoracotomy, pleural abrasion, and chemical pleurodesis using talcum powder[Asbestosis free]. In the patients treated with open thoracotomy, the bullous or bleb lesions were placed in the various sites of both lungs. We concluded that even though thoracostomy tube drainage is the first choice of therapy for spontaneous pneumothorax in the aged patients, the recurrence rate is high, especially in the patients with persistent air leakage for more than 2 days, and the open thoracotomy with pleural abrasion and chemical pleurodesis using talcum powder can prevent the recurrence in the selected patients.