Mediastinal Drains, Cardiac Catheters and Interventions

Question 1

What does a mediastinal drain do?

Answer 1

Mediastinal chest drains including pericardial drains are inserted as standard post operative practice following cardiac surgery to assist the clearance of blood from the pericardial space and to prevent chest tubes from blocking and causing tamponade nurses manipulate them to prevent clots

Question 2

What are the intervention of a mediastinal drain?

Answer 2

• Never lift drain about chest level
• the unit and all tubing should be below patients chest level to facilitate drainage
• Tubing should have no kinks or obstruction that may inhibit drainage
• Ensure all connections between chest tubes and drainage unit are tight and secure

Question 3

What is a cardiac catheter?

Answer 3

Cardiac catheterisation is the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. This is done both diagnostic and interventional purposes

Question 4

What are the risks of a cardiac catheter?

Answer 4

• bleeding or bruising
• pain where catheter is put into the body
• blood clot or damage to the blood vessel that the catheter is put into
• infection where the catheter is put into the body

Question 5

What are the interventions of a cardiac catheter?

Answer 5

• balloon vulvoplasty. A specialised catheter with a balloon on the end is passed across the blocked valve and inflated to produce semi controlled tear of the valve to reduce blockage
• Baloon angioplasty
• Stent
• coil occlusion
• radio frequency ablation

Question 6

Where is a mediastinal drain inserted?

Answer 6

One drain is placed inferiority in the cardiac well and the second drain is placed anteriorly overlying the heart. If the pleural space is opened during the procedure, a third drain is placed into the dependent portion of the pleural space.