Overview
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Overview
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Chest tube
A chest tube (chest drain, thoracic catheter, tube thoracostomy, or intercostal drain) is a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the chest wall and into the pleural space or mediastinum. It is used to remove air (pneumothorax[2]) or fluid (pleural effusion, blood, chyle), or pus (empyema) from the intrathoracic space. It is also known as a bülau drain or an intercostal catheter.
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A 48-year-old member asked:
How long does a chest tube stay in for?
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