Chest drainage

When air (pneumothorax), fluid (pleural effusion), pus or blood collects in the space around the lung, the lung is compressed and breathing becomes difficult. Chest drainage involves placing a soft tube (drain) between two ribs to remove this air or fluid. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia, at the bedside, in a treatment room or in the operating theatre, sometimes under ultrasound guidance. After disinfection, the doctor makes a small incision on the side of the chest, introduces the drain between two ribs, secures it to the skin and connects it to a sealed collection system that prevents air from getting back in. It is offered for a large or poorly tolerated pneumothorax, a large or infected effusion, or blood in the chest after an injury. A drain is also routinely left in place after chest surgery. At Clinique Pasteur Tunis, chest drainage can be performed as an emergency or as a planned procedure, with imaging available on site and drain monitoring by nursing teams experienced in this care.