SGEM#355: Bigger Isn’t Better When It Comes to Chest Tubes

Date: December 28th, 2021 Reference: Kulvatunyou et al. The small (14 Fr) percutaneous catheter (P-CAT) versus large (28–32 Fr) open chest tube for traumatic hemothorax: A multicenter randomized clinical trial. J Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. November 2021. Guest Skeptic: Dr. Chris Root is a second-year resident physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, NM. He is also a resident flight physician with UNM’s aeromedical service, UNM Lifeguard. Prior to earning his MD, he worked as a paramedic in the New York City 911 system. Case: A 43-year-old male presents to your emergency department (ED) the day after being involved in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident. He reports he was riding his ATV along an embankment when it rolled, landing on top of him briefly. He did not seek medical attention at the time of the incident, but he has had persistent chest wall pain and worsening shortness of breath since yesterday evening. He is hemodynamically stable, oxygen saturation is 91% on room air, physical exam reveals ecchymosis and tenderness over the right chest wall with diminished right sided lung sounds. CT scans reveal multiple right sided rib fractures and a hemothorax estimated to measure 500cc with no additional injuries. Background:  We have discussed chest tubes a couple of times on the SGEM. This is usually with the master himself, Dr. Richard (Thoracic Rick) Malthaner. The first time was looking at a study about where to put the chest tube in a trauma patient. It turns out location (high or low) does not matter. The most important thing is placing the chest tube in the triangle of safety in the plural space (SGEM#129). The other episode on chest tubes looked at conservative vs interventional treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax (SGEM#300). This randomized controlled trial demonstrated that conservative management was non-inferior to placing a chest tube in a patient with a large first-time spontaneous pneumothorax. Another SGEM episode we did looked at the location of needle decompression for tension pneumothorax (SGEM#339). This was done with our good friend and frequent guest skeptic Dr. Robert Edmonds. This observational study did not support the claim that the second intercostal space-midclavicular line is thicker than the fourth/fifth intercostal space-anterior axillary line. This new SGEM episode looks at the size of chest tubes needed to successfully treat a traumatic hemothorax. Traditionally, these are treated by inserting a large bore chest tube (LBCT). There is increasing evidence supporting the use of smaller, percutaneously inserted chest tubes or pigtail catheter (PC) for the drainage of pleural effusions and pneumothoraces as well as some evidence of their efficacy for hemothorax. Clinical Question: Are small (14fr) pigtail catheters as effective as large (28-32 fr) chest tubes for the treatment of hemodynamcially stable patients with traumatic hemothorax? Reference: Kulvatunyou et al. The small (14 Fr) percutaneous catheter (P-CAT) versus large (28–32 Fr) open chest tube for traumatic hemothorax: A multicenter randomized clinical trial. J Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. November 2021. * Population: Hemodynamically stable adult patients 18 years or older suffering traumatic hemothorax or hemopneumothorax requiring drainage at the discretion of the treating physician. * Exclusions: Emergent indication,