Chest Tubes Flashcards
1
Q
Purpose of Chest Tubes
A
- Re-establish negative pressure in the pleural space
- Pneumothorax (air)
- Hemothorax (blood)
- Pneumohemothorax (air & blood)
- Locations
- Apical (removes air)
- Basilar - base of lung (removes blood)
- ex.
- bilateral pneumothorax
- 2 - apical for both
- unilateral pneumohemothorax
- 2 - apical and basilar on side of pneumothorax
- bilateral pneumothorax
2
Q
Troubleshooting
A
- In routine, never clamp chest tube
- In emergency, clamp the chest tube
- Never clamp for longer than 15 seconds without Dr. orders
- Use rubber-tipped double clamps
- If water seal breaks
- First - clamp it, cut tube away from device
- Best - submerge the tube under water, then unclamp
- If chest tube comes out
- First - cover with a gloved hand
- Best - cover the hole w/ vaseline gauze, put a dry sterile dressing on top, tape on 3 sides
3
Q
Bubbling in water seal
A
- if intermittent, it is good
- If continuous, it is bad
4
Q
Bubbling in suction control chamber
A
- If intermittent, it is bad
- If continuous, it is good