Study of the Length of Needle Thoracostomy Catheter Needed for Patients with Chest Trauma.
- Author:
Sung Won KANG
1
;
Hyun Wook RYOO
;
Jung Bae PARK
;
Kang Suk SEO
;
Jae Myung CHUNG
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea. realfreeman@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Thoracostomy;
Pneumothorax;
Thoracic injuries
- MeSH:
Catheters;
Decompression;
Emergencies;
Female;
Humans;
Male;
Needles;
Pneumothorax;
Retrospective Studies;
Thoracic Injuries;
Thoracic Wall;
Thoracostomy;
Thorax
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Traumatology
2009;22(1):1-4
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the length of the catheter used in a needle thoracostomy for emergency decompression of a tension pneumothorax by measuring the chest wall thickness (CWT) in patients with chest trauma METHODS: A retrospective review of 201 patients with chest trauma who had been transported the emergency department in a tertiary university hospital in a metropolitan area between 1 January and 31 February 2007 was performed. The average CWT at the second intercostal space (ICS) in the midclavicular line (MCL) was measured by using a chest computed tomography scan. RESULTS: As the left and the right mean CWTs were 3.4+/-1.0 cm and 3.4+/-1.0 cm, respectively, there was no significant statistical difference between them. The mean CWT of female patients was significantly higher than that of male patients (p=0.001). The mean CWT of patients under the age of 65 years was significantly thicker than that of the patients over the age of 65 years (p<0.001). Of the studied patients, 12 (6.0%) a CWT > 5 cm. CONCLUSION: A 5 cm-length catheter in a needle thoracostomy may be insufficient for emergency decompression of a tension pneumothorax, so a catheter longer than 5 cm in length is needed.
