Chest Tube Insertion in Prone Position Using Ultrasound in a COVID 19 Patient

Chest tube insertion is one of the most common interventions performed to manage pleural effusion, pneumothorax, haemothorax, etc. The procedure is done conventionally in a supine position, and a triangle of safety is used as a landmark. COVID-19 is a multiorgan disorder, declared a pandemic by WHO, predominantly involving the respiratory system. To insert a chest tube in a prone position using the Seldinger technique is quite a unique way of doing this common procedure with unclear complications in literature. COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that makes chest tube insertion a risky procedure for operators as well due to direct exposure to respiratory secretions. Full personal protective equipment and a negative pressure room are used during this procedure in this case. The case mentions the ultrasound-guided chest tube insertion in a COVID-19 patient with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and significant left-sided pleural effusion requiring prone positioning and mechanical ventilation.