General information
The thoracic drainage is a bottle system that can build up suction and thus promotes: The thoracic drainage is mostly used to treat patients with fluid in their lungs.
- Blood,
- Secretions and
- Air
Various diseases can cause fluid to accumulate in the lungs, which in turn can affect breathing but also the heart. If the lungs and heart are affected, it may be necessary to insert a drainage tube to relieve the pressure on the lungs and heart.
Chest drains are also used for the so-called pneumothorax. A pneumothorax is an accumulation of air in the thorax, but outside the lungs. The lung can collapse as a result, which can lead to severe shortness of breath. The air accumulation can be sucked out through a thoracic drainage, thus relieving the lung.
Types of drainages
The two most common thoracic drainages are: They differ in size and in the way they are used. Monaldi is mostly used for air accumulation, Bülau for fluid accumulation. There are also different drainage systems that include a different number of bottles, from one to four bottles.
- Monaldi Drainage and
- Bülau Drainage.
Procedure
Chest drainage is always sterile, which means that the skin must be disinfected, usually several times, and the doctor uses sterile gloves and sterile material. After thorough disinfection, the ribs are palpated and the puncture site marked. Then an approx. 1cm incision is made at the marked point on the middle, posterior back. Then the drainage is carefully inserted over the rib with the finger.
Complications
Serious complications rarely occur. However, every thoracic drainage always carries the risk of injuring the lung and thus triggering a pneumothorax. In addition, nerves can be injured if the tube is not attached correctly. In very rare cases it can also bleed into the lung.
