Medical Encyclopedia
Chest tube insertion - series: Indication
If fluid, such as blood, or air, gets into the pleural space, the lung can collapse, preventing adequate air exchange. Chest tubes are used to treat conditions that can cause the lung to collapse, such as:
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air leaks from the lung into the chest (pneumothorax)
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bleeding into the chest (hemothorax)
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after surgery or trauma in the chest (pneumothorax or hemothorax)
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lung abscesses or pus in the chest (empyema).
Update Date: 8/10/2007
Updated by: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veteran Affairs, VA System, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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