What are potential problems that arise with a patient who has a chest tube?
In general, chest tube complications are categorized as insertional, positional or infective. More specifically, pain, vascular injury, improper positioning of the tube, inadvertent tube removal, postremoval complications, longer hospital stays, empyema and pneumonia have been reported in up to 30% of cases.
How do I know if my chest tube has an air leak?
Start by examining the air-leak detection chamber in the water seal of the drainage device. An air leak presents as small air bubbles; the amount of bubbling indicates the degree of the leak. If you notice bubbling, determine location of the leak.
What happens if a chest tube is dislodged?
A chest tube falling out is an emergency. Immediately apply pressure to chest tube insertion site and apply sterile gauze or place a sterile Jelonet gauze and dry dressing over insertion site and ensure tight seal. Apply dressing when patient exhales. If patient goes into respiratory distress, call a code.
What are the complications of a pneumothorax?
The complications of pneumothorax include effusion, hemorrhage, empyema; respiratory failure, pneumomediastinum, arrhythmias and instable hemodynamics need to be handled accordingly. Treatment complications refer to major pain, subcutaneous emphysema, bleeding and infection, rare re-expansion pulmonary edema.
How do I know if my lungs are damaged?
If your lungs are damaged, or if you have a serious illness like COPD, emphysema or lung cancer, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms: Shortness of breath during simple activities. Pain when breathing. Dizziness with a change in activity.
Can pneumothorax be cured?
Treatment for a pneumothorax usually involves inserting a needle or chest tube between the ribs to remove the excess air. However, a small pneumothorax may heal on its own.
How long can you live with pneumothorax?
The prognosis of pneumothorax depends on its cause. In most cases once the pneumothorax has healed, there is no long-term effect on health, but spontaneous pneumothorax can recur in up to 50% of people.