A Novel Device With Improved Outcomes for Tube Thoracostomy

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Surgical Procedures
• Trauma Care

Background:

• Tube thoracostomy is a critical procedure for trauma providers.
• Complications can arise from improper chest tube insertion and positioning.
• Current techniques may lack optimal efficiency and accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel device for chest tube placement.
• To compare the device's efficiency and accuracy against the Kelly clamp technique.
• To assess performance across various medical specialties.

Main Methods:

• A swine model was used for device testing under an approved protocol.
• Participants performed chest tube placements using the novel device and Kelly clamps.
• Post-placement X-rays determined tube positioning; statistical analysis compared outcomes.

Main Results:

• The novel device achieved 94.4% intrathoracic placement versus 93.1% for Kelly clamps (P=0.73).
• Apical positioning was significantly higher with the device (94.4%) compared to Kelly clamps (66.7%) (P<0.01).
• Device placement was faster (39.3s) than Kelly clamps (61.5s) (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

• The novel chest tube placement device enhances both efficiency and accuracy.
• These improvements were observed compared to the traditional open Kelly clamp method.
• The device demonstrated consistent benefits across different provider specialties, including general surgery residents.