Chest Tubes & Chest Drainage Flashcards
Chest drainage systems are used to evacuate….?
Blood Air Fluid Pus Lymph
Chest tubes are draining what in a pneumothorax?
Air
Why is a tension pneumothorax so dangerous?
If the pressure exceeds atrial filling pressure, then there will be no more atrial filling
Chest tubes drain what in a hemothorax?
Blood
Chest tubes drain what any hydrothorax?
Fluid
Chest tubes drain what in a chylothorax?
Lymph
Chest tubes drain what in an empyema?
Pus
What is the purpose of the white line on the chest tube?
It is radiodense and helps find the tip of the tube in the most proximal hole
What is the name of the most proximal hole on a chest tube?
Sentinel Eye
Where is a chest tube normally placed?
Usually at the axillary line and drains posteriorly
When is the chest tube removed?
When there is no air leak
Minimum amount of fluid
No longer on suction
Look over all of the diagrams for the bottle systems of chest tubes
They are way too complicated to try and explain via text
What are some potential flaws of the one bottle system of chest drainage?
Glass bottle could break
Fluid accumulation over time–> increasing pressure
Bottle can tip over
Why is there sterile water in the bottom Of a one bottle chest drainage system?
Prevents air from being reentrainment
What is the primary difference between the two bottle and three bottle system?
(And no smart asses I’m not talking about just 2 versus 3 bottles)
The 3 bottle system is connected to suction
What determines the pressure in a three bottle system?
Depth of straw in bottle 3 and height of water column
Which bottle is connected to suction?
3
In a 3 bottle system, If you occlude the connection to the patient or the connection between bottles 1-2 or bottles 2-3 what happens?
Way to go, You created a tension pneumothorax
If you occlude the suction in a three bottle system what happens?
Pressure builds up until water bubbles out
What are the advantages of an integrated chest drainage system?
One-way valve Evacuate air Drain and collect fluid Observe and measure fluid Monitor for discontinuation Apply suction Protect against back pressure
What is the purpose of the pop off valve In a chest drainage system?
It pops off in the event of positive pressure accumulation and prevents back pressure into patient
What is the purpose of a chest tube?
It equalizes the pressure it is not strictly a drainage system
