Title
Factors Associated with Chest Tube Placement in Blunt Trauma Patients with an Occult Pneumothorax
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2019
Abstract
Background. An occult pneumothorax is identified by computed tomography but not visualized by a plain film chest X-ray. The optimal management remains unclear. Methods. A retrospective review of an urban level I trauma center’s trauma registry was conducted to identify patients with occult pneumothorax over a 2-year period. Factors predictive of chest tube placement were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results. A total of 131 patients were identified, of whom 100 were managed expectantly with an initial period of observation. Ultimately, 42 (32.0%) patients received chest tubes and 89 did not. The patients who received chest tubes had larger pneumothoraces at initial assessment, a higher incidence of rib fractures, and an increased average number of rib fractures, of which significantly more were displaced. Conclusions. Displaced rib fractures and moderate-sized pneumothoraces are significant factors associated with chest tube placement in a victim of blunt trauma with occult pneumothorax. The optimal timing for the first follow-up chest X-ray remains unclear.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9274697
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Critical Care Research and Practice, v. 2019, art. 9274697
Scholar Commons Citation
Paplawski, Michael; Munnangi, Swapna; Digiacomo, Jody C.; Gonzalez, Edwin; Modica, Ashley; Tung, Shawndeep S.; and Ko, Catherine, "Factors Associated with Chest Tube Placement in Blunt Trauma Patients with an Occult Pneumothorax" (2019). Surgery Faculty Publications. 4.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/sur_facpub/4
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
