2219 A prospective multi-center observational study of chest drain insertion and associated complications in Irish emergency departments

Conclusion Data was obtained from 10 sites resulting in 133 drain insertions for 107 patients. The median age was 48 years (IQR 32,69, Range 15-90) and 74.8% (n=80) of patients were male. On average, 1 drain was inserted per patient (IQR 1,1, Range 1-3). The indications for drain insertion was spontaneous pneumothorax (n=60), traumatic causes (n=44), pleural effusion (n=2) and iatrogenic pneumothorax (n=1). The overall rate of successful first attempt at drain insertion was 82.2%. The immediate complication rate was 32%, the delayed complication rate was 41%. No association was found between drain type, indication or operator and first past success. This study highlights current practice of chest drain insertion across Ireland. The complication rate of 32% is comparable to international literature. This study shows areas for practice improvement and training to improve patient outcomes.
Source: Emergency Medicine Journal - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: RCEM Lightning Papers Source Type: research