Thoracic drainage: a brief review
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Abstract
Thoracic drainage is a medical procedure that is intended to remove gases, blood or fluids from the pleural space of patients in whom it is necessary to recover their lung expansion. Generally used after the occurrence of trauma, which has increased in recent decades and is considered a public health problem in several countries, it is an increasingly used technique in the hospital urgency and emergency sectors. This article aims, through a literature review, to describe the main indications and contraindications for chest drainage, the technique of the procedure and its complications. The literature demonstrates that chest drainage is indicated in situations of hemothorax, pneumothorax, empyema, chylothorax and recurrent pleural effusion, and that it should be used with care in cases of uncorrected coagulopathy, absence of instrumentation and guidance by images and dermatological infections. Complications can be divided into infectious or related to incorrect technique, demonstrating that not only medical professionals, but the entire surgical team must be constantly trained and updated regarding the processes involved in all stages of patient care.
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