ATS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Karen M. Rieger
Zane T. Hammoud
Kenneth A. Kesler
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rieger, K. M.
Right arrow Articles by Kesler, K. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Rieger, K. M.
Right arrow Articles by Kesler, K. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Pleura

Ann Thorac Surg 2007;84:630-632
© 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

New Technology

Postoperative Outpatient Chest Tube Management: Initial Experience With a New Portable System

Karen M. Rieger, MD*, Heather A. Wroblewski, RN, Jo Ann Brooks, DNS, Zane T. Hammoud, MD, Kenneth A. Kesler, MD

Thoracic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana

Accepted for publication February 5, 2007.

* Address correspondence to Dr Rieger, Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Thoracic Surgery Division, 545 Barnhill Dr, EH #215, Indianapolis, IN 46202 (Email: krieger{at}iupui.edu).

Purpose: Prolonged air or fluid chest tube drainage may delay chest tube removal in thoracic surgery patients otherwise ready for discharge. We reviewed 20 months of experience at our institution with postoperative, outpatient chest tube management using a new portable chest tube device.

Description: From May 2003 to December 2004, 457 major thoracic procedures were performed at our institution. Besides excessive chest tube output or air leak, 50 patients met the criteria for discharge. There were 36 patients who were discharged with a new portable chest tube system (Express Mini 500; Atrium Medical Corp, Hudson, NH). Patients received written instructions and demonstrated competence on system use. Patients returned for chest tube removal after satisfactory resolution of air leak or fluid drainage.

Evaluation: Postoperative outpatient chest tube management accounted for 404 days. There were no major complications. Four patients experienced minor complications. Thirty-two patients (89%) experienced uneventful and successful outpatient chest tube management.

Conclusions: These data suggest that successful postoperative outpatient chest tube management can be accomplished in select patients. This program resulted in substantial hospital cost reduction and enhanced patient satisfaction by allowing earlier discharge.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS
Copyright © 2007 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.