Some Scars Do Not Run Deep: The Qualitative and Quantitative Nature of Neonatal Seldinger Pigtail Chest Drain Scars

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric surgery
• Medical device outcomes

Background:

• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is common in preterm infants.
• Significant pneumothorax in neonates often requires chest drain insertion.
• Pigtail chest drains are one method used for neonatal pneumothorax treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess and understand the emotional significance of scarring from neonatal pigtail chest drains.
• To evaluate scars resulting from the Seldinger technique for chest drain insertion in infants.

Main Methods:

• Parents were interviewed via telephone regarding their child's scar.
• Photographs of infant scars were collected from parents for grading.
• The study analyzed scar size, severity, and parental emotional response.

Main Results:

• Scar size and severity were generally found to be not significant.
• Parents perceived the scar as a reminder of a traumatic event but considered its size unimportant.
• The emotional impact of the scar was minimal for most parents.

Conclusions:

• Neonatal pigtail chest drain scarring via the Seldinger technique has limited quantitative and emotional significance.
• Clinical decisions on chest drains should prioritize efficacy, as scar impact is minimal.
• This study informs comparisons between different chest drain types and insertion methods.