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Ann Thorac Surg 1986;42:77-80
© 1986 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Articles

Is Milking and Stripping Chest Tubes Really Necessary?

Fidelita Lim-Levy, M.S.N. R.N., C.S.*, Shaye Anne Babler, B.S.N., Jane De Groot-Kosolcharoen, M.S., R.N., C.I.C., Peter Kosolcharoen, M.D., George M. Kroncke, M.D.

From the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI

Accepted for publication November 4, 1985.

* Address reprint requests to Ms. Lim-Levy, Department of Nursing, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Fort Meade, SD 57741

The purpose of this study was to determine if chest tubes that are not milked or stripped occlude more frequently than milked or stripped tubes, and if the amount of drainage varies according to the treatment of the tubes. Following coronary artery bypass graft procedures, 49 male subjects had their chest tubes milked every 2 hours, had them stripped every 2 hours, or served as controls (i.e., their tubes were neither milked nor stripped). An analysis of variance was applied to the results. There was no significant difference in total drainage volume, hourly zero drainage, heart rate, or occurrence of arrhythmias among the three groups of subjects. Four to 16 hours postoperatively, a significantly higher volume of drainage occurred in the subjects whose chest tubes had been stripped. Stripping is particularly discouraged during this interval. The chest tubes remained patent with or without milking or stripping. We conclude that neither milking nor stripping is necessary for the proper care of chest tubes. We recommend that tubes be positioned such that they promote continuous drainage.




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