Management of Spontaneous Pneumothorax Interactive Web Site

Consensus Statements

Management of Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Interactive Web Site

Chest Tube Size Selection

Key point: Size is based on airleak risks and clinical stability.

Stable patient not at risk for large pleural airleaks

16F–22F (good consensus)—Stable patients should be managed by a 16F to 22F tube

<14F (good consensus)—<14F may be acceptable in certain circumstances, such as small pneumothoraces or by patient preference (good consensus)

Clinically unstable patient at risk for large pleural airleaks (ie, mechanical ventilation)

24F–28F (very good consensus)

Table 14—Selection of Chest Tube Size Based on Airleak Risk

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Initial Chest Tube Management

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Recurrence Prevention Information

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Airleak Management

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Chest Tube Removal

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Computed Tomography