This post contains links to and excerpts from EMCrit 255 – Pigtails for Pleural Problems (Percutaneous Thoracostomy)
September 4, 2019 by Dr. Scott Weingart
Here is the podcast:
Among the pearls in Dr. Weingart’s post is how to determine where the midclavicular line (MCL) is. Many persons incorrectly locate MCL when placing an anterior chest tube and this error can endanger the mediastinal structures. Just listen to Dr. Weingart’s entire podcast.
Here are the show notes from Dr. Weingart’s post:
Pigtails should replace chest tubes for most pneumothoraces and pleural effusions requiring drainage. In this episode, I discuss points on use and placement. The next post will be a video on an actual placement. Please put your comments and thoughts below.
For a video of the procedure,
come on over here:
Updates:
And here is Dr. Mellick’s YouTube video [See also the information that follows Dr. Mellick’s video]:
Spontaneous Pneumothorax Emergency, Dec 11, 2012.
Dr. Larry Mellick:
In this video a 21 year old with a large spontaneous pneumothorax is treated with a TRU-CLOSE® Thoracic Vent instead of chest tube. This technique effectively treats a pneumothorax while avoiding the degree of pain and incapacitation associated with chest tubes.
See also Dr. Mellick’s post, Chest Tubes Deserve an Unnecessary Roughness Penalty from Emergency Medicine News, Friday, February 8, 2013.
