Abstract
Drainage of the pleural space by means of a chest tube belongs to basic interventional techniques in pulmonology, intensive care, interventional radiology, and chest surgery. Indications of chest drainage include first of all pleural effusion (empyema, hemothorax, hydro-thorax, chylothorax) and pneumothorax.
Although a relatively simple procedure, it carries a significant complication rate, especially when performed without adequate knowledge and training. The book starts with concise anatomy of the chest and physiology of ventilation with accent on basic knowledge of gas physics - which is extremely important in case of unexpected complications in the course of the procedure.
The authors then explain the indications and types of thoracic drainage and give excellent step-by-step guidance on all aspects of acquiring skills needed to ensure successful chest tube drainage. Great number of full color illustrations, X-ray images and photos help reader to comprehend all the techniques in detail.
The last two chapters comprise frequent complications and their management, as well as common mistakes and errors both in indicating and performing chest tube drainage. The book should be read by all pulmonologists, intensive care physicians, interventional radiologists, as well as chest surgeons.