Percutaneous thoracic drainage in neonates: catheter drainage versus treatment with aspiration alone

To retrospectively compare thoracic drainage in neonates by using catheter and aspiration techniques.

Approval was obtained from the institutional research ethics board; informed consent from parents was waived. Retrospective review of 21 neonates (19 boys, two girls; mean gestational age, 39.3 weeks) who underwent percutaneous thoracic drainage during a 9-year period was performed. Data such as indication for drainage, type of drainage, age and weight at birth, corrected age and weight at the time of drainage, use of mechanical ventilation at the time of drainage, and outcomes were collected. Drainage was considered successful if the collection was treated without additional surgical or radiologic intervention. Fisher exact test and two-tailed unpaired student t test with a confidence level of 95% (unequal variances assumed) were used to compare neonates treated with a catheter and those treated with aspiration.

Image-guided therapy was used to treat pleural effusion (29%, n = 6), chylothorax (24%, n = 5), empyema (19%, n = 4), pneumothorax (14%, n = 3), mediastinal seroma (10%, n = 3), and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (5%, n = 1). Sixteen (76%) infants were treated with catheter placement, with a success rate of 81% (13 of 16). Five (24%) infants were treated with simple aspiration with no success. The difference in success rates was significant (P = .003). There was no significant difference between the catheter placement and aspiration groups in terms of average age, average weight, and percentage dependent on mechanical ventilation. One complication (cellulitis) was directly related to catheter drainage. In cases where treatment was successful, the mean length of the chest tube placement was 13.5 days, and there were no deaths at follow-up. In cases where treatment failed, the long-term mortality rate was 50% (four of eight).

Image-guided percutaneous thoracic drainage success rates are improved if drainage catheters are placed rather than if aspiration alone is performed.