Open AccessComplications of needle thoracostomy: A comprehensive clinical review
Author(s) -
Brian Wernick,
Heidi H. Hon,
Ronnie Mubang,
Anthony Cipriano,
Ronson Hughes,
Demicha Rankin,
David C. Evans,
William R. Burfeind,
Brian A. Hoey,
James Cipolla,
Sagar Galwankar,
Thomas J Papadimos,
Stanislaw P Stawicki,
Michael S. Firstenberg
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of critical illness and injury science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.274
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2231-5004
pISSN - 2229-5151
DOI - 10.4103/2229-5151.164939
Subject(s) - thoracostomy , medicine , tension pneumothorax , pneumothorax , intensive care medicine , resuscitation , surgery , clinical judgment , general surgery , medical emergency , medical physics
Needle thoracostomy (NT) is a valuable adjunct in the management of tension pneumothorax (tPTX), a life-threatening condition encountered mainly in trauma and critical care environments. Most commonly, needle thoracostomies are used in the prehospital setting and during acute trauma resuscitation to temporize the affected individuals prior to the placement of definitive tube thoracostomy (TT). Because it is both an invasive and emergent maneuver, NT can be associated with a number of potential complications, some of which may be life-threatening. Due to relatively common use of this procedure, it is important that healthcare providers are familiar, and ready to deal with, potential complications of NT.