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"Pigtail" catheter drainage in thoracic surgery.
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|July 1, 1987
Summary
Small-bore percutaneous drainage catheters offer effective thoracic disease management, achieving a 75% resolution rate. This minimally invasive approach is particularly successful for lung abscesses and shows promise for empyema.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Interventional Radiology
Background:
- Small-bore percutaneous drainage catheters are increasingly used for thoracic conditions.
- Their efficacy in managing diverse thoracic diseases requires further evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness and outcomes of small-bore percutaneous catheter drainage for various thoracic diseases.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review of 44 patients with 53 small-bore catheter placements for thoracic conditions.
- Procedures guided by fluoroscopy (88%), CT (6%), or ultrasound (6%).
- Catheter sizes ranged from 6.5F to 12F.
Main Results:
- Complete resolution achieved in 75% of patients; 20% required multiple catheters.
- 100% success rate in lung abscess cases.
- Empyema patients (n=20) showed a 75% success rate in loculated cases versus 50% in non-loculated cases.
Conclusions:
- Small-bore percutaneous drainage is a successful treatment modality for thoracic diseases, including empyema and lung abscess.
- Failure rates were low, with most requiring subsequent operation or thoracostomy tube.
- Complication rates were manageable, with most being minor.