Chest Tube Complications Flashcards
Normal vs Abnormal Findings
Air leak = continuous bubbling in chamber, tighten connection or drainage system (INTERMITTENT BUBBLING IS EXPECTED)
-no tidaling in water seal chamber = check for kinks (fluid should rise 2 to 4 inches during inhalation and falls during exhalation)
-no bubbling in suction control chamber = check if tubing is attached
- chest tube is disconnected from system = insert open end of chest tube into sterile water until replacement is made
- chest tube accidentally pulled from client = cover insertion site with dressing taped only on 3 sides
Post-op chest tube monitoring:
- Place client in HIGH fowler’s
- monitor the drainage from the chest tube every 15 mins for the first 2 hours to identify excessive drainage (anything over 70mL/hr could mean the patient is bleeding)
- do not strip the chest tube (can cause increased intrathoracic pressure)
- place two rubber-tipped hemostats in the room (used in emergency of chest tube dislodgment)
- palpate the chest tube insertion site for subcutaneous emphysema
- ensure all chest tube connections are securely attached
- when bubbling in the water seal chamber has ceased, this means lung-reaxpansion has occurred for patients with pneumothorax
