Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2016 Jun;49(3):185-189. 10.5090/kjtcs.2016.49.3.185.

Outpatient Treatment for Pneumothorax Using a Portable Small-Bore Chest Tube: A Clinical Report

• Woo WG
• Joo S
• Lee GD
• Haam SJ
• Lee S

• KMID: 2285807
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5090/kjtcs.2016.49.3.185

Abstract

BACKGROUND
For treatment of pneumothorax in Korea, many institutions hospitalize the patient after chest tube insertion. In this study, a portable small-bore chest tube (Thoracic Egg; Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) was used for pneumothorax management in an outpatient clinic.
METHODS
Between August 2014 and March 2015, 56 pneumothorax patients were treated using the Thoracic Egg.
RESULTS
After Thoracic Egg insertion, 44 patients (78.6%) were discharged from the emergency room for follow-up in the outpatient clinic, and 12 patients (21.4%) were hospitalized. The mean duration of Thoracic Egg chest tube placement was 4.8 days, and the success rate was 73%; 20% of patients showed incomplete expansion and underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. For primary spontaneous pneumothorax patients, the success rate of the Thoracic Egg was 76.6% and for iatrogenic pneumothorax, it was 100%. There were 2 complications using the Thoracic Egg.
CONCLUSION
Outpatient treatment of pneumothorax using the Thoracic Egg could be a good treatment option for primary spontaneous and iatrogenic pneumothorax.

Keyword

Pneumothorax; Chest tubes; Outpatients

MeSH Terms

Ambulatory Care Facilities
Chest Tubes*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Korea
Outpatients*
Ovum
Pneumothorax*
Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
Thorax*