Management of pleural drainage

In the neonatal population, pleural effusion and particularly tension pneumothorax can be a deadly situation. Pneumothorax occurs more often in the neonatal period that any other time of life. Tension pneumothorax can result in very high pressures within the pleural space, collapsing the lung on the involved side and resulting in immediate hypoxia, hypercapnia and subsequent circulatory collapse. For these reasons, the ability to recognize, understand and treat these pathologies is essential for neonatal health and a good outcome. Neonates have many factors that can contribute to. these problems. These include respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation, sepsis, pneumonia, aspiration of meconium, congentital malformation, hydrothorax, congenital or acquired chylothorax. The diagnosis can be made by clinical examination, transillumination (pneumothorax) and chest x-ray. Besides, lung ultrasound constitutes a visual medicine and provides a transparent approach to the acutely ill patient, newborn included, guiding diagnosis, management and care. Newborns with moderate to severe symptoms and those receiving positive pressure ventilation require tube thoracostomy. If a tension pneumothorax is suspected, emergency needle decompression in the second intercostal space in the midclavicular line is required. In this article, we describe the management of tube thoracostomy using trocar tubes or pigtail catheters. Besides, we pay attention to the use of pain control for neonates undergoing painful procedures such as chest tube insertion.