• R Schupfner, H Rupprecht, and W Wagner.
• Chirurgie II, Klinikum Bayreuth, Deutschland. rupert.schupfner@klinikum-bayreuth.de
• Zentralbl Chir. 2013 Jun 1; 138 (3): 334-41.

BackgroundThorax injuries are to be found in approximately 78 % amongst all victims of accidents. Moreover they implicate an increase in mortality rate. Consequently an adequate contemporary treatment has to begin preclinically, even if the conditions are less comfortable than in a clinical setting. Emergency doctors need to be familiar with the placement of chest tubes.MethodsFrom 01.01.2007 to 31.12.2010 emergency doctors of the rescue helicopter site Christoph 20 had to place chest tubes directly at the scene of an accident in 49 patients. These patients were now reidentified and their clinical course reevaluated. By means of apparative diagnostics it was possible to analyse the location of the tips of the tubes. A comparison of the patient outcome versus the quality of preclinical thoracic drainage could be made.ResultsThe preclinical placement of a chest tube became necessary mainly because of a blunt thoracic trauma. This was predominantly related to victims of traffic accidents, whereas male victims clearly dominated. 42 of those patients received further treatment at the Klinikum Bayreuth, enabling an analysis of the tube locations by CT scans. Six patients had been drained on both sides, contributing to the 48 tube tips that could be examined concerning their location. Of the 48 chest tubes 46 had been placed from a lateral approach. The ventral access according to Monaldi had only been chosen in two cases. Altogether nine incorrect placements, mainly within the right interlobe gap, were detected.ConclusionThe study collective showed a significant preference to the lateral approach when placing a chest tube at the emergency scene of an accident. In total a prevalence of 19 % incorrect placements could be revealed, meaning the chest tube had either been placed within the lung parenchyma, the interlobe gap or extrathoracically. Concerning the patient outcome no statistically significant difference regarding the clinical course after incorrect chest tube placement could be identified. The omission of an indicated preclinical thoracic drainge is certainly a more serious error than its incorrect placement with more serious consequences.Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

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