| Chest Tube Size
|
Type of Patient
|
Underlying Causes
|
| Small (8-14 Fr) |
|
- Alveolar-pleural fistulae (small air leak)
- Iatrogenic air
|
| Medium (20-28 Fr) |
|
- Bronchial-pleural fistulae (large air leak)
- Malignant fluid
|
| Large (36-40 Fr) |
- Traumatic pneumothorax
- 2012 study using 28-32 Fr tube just as good as 36-40 Fr tube. [1] This is reflected in the ATLS 2019 Guidelines: "ATLS ® -10 now recommends placement of a smaller 28F to 32F chest tube for any acute hemothorax that is visible on chest radiograph." [2]
- Empyema
|
- Bleeding (Hemothorax/hemopneumothorax)
- Thick pus
|
