Chest Tube Management Practices by Trauma Surgeons

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Thoracic Procedures
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Chest tube (CT) placement is a common trauma surgery procedure.
• Limited evidence guides CT management, with existing research often focused on thoracic surgery patients.
• Current practices among trauma providers are not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe current chest tube management practices among trauma providers.
• To understand the factors influencing decision-making in chest tube management.
• To highlight the need for evidence-based guidelines in trauma care.

Main Methods:

• A web-based multiple-choice survey was designed and distributed to members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.
• The survey assessed chest tube management practices among active, senior, and provisional trauma provider members.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses.

Main Results:

• A 39% response rate (n=734) was achieved, with 91% of respondents being attending surgeons.
• Practice patterns varied, with differences noted between attendings and trainees, and based on surgeon experience.
• Most respondents perceived the evidence quality for trauma CT management as low, citing personal experience and training as primary influences.

Conclusions:

• Chest tube management in trauma is variable and non-standardized, heavily influenced by clinician training and experience.
• Few surgeons consider their practice to be evidence-based.
• There is a clear need for research to establish best practices for trauma chest tube management.