Journal of Trauma and Injury

The Korean Society of Traumatology (대한외상학회)
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Study of the Length of Needle Thoracostomy Catheter Needed for Patients with Chest Trauma

흉부 외상 환자에서 늑막 천자를 위해 바늘 도관의 길이에 대한 연구

  • Kang, Sung Won (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Ryoo, Hyun Wook (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Park, Jung Bae (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Seo, Kang Suk (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Chung, Jae Myung (Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University)
  • 강성원 (경북대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실) ;
  • 류현욱 (경북대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실) ;
  • 박정배 (경북대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실) ;
  • 서강석 (경북대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실) ;
  • 정제명 (경북대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실)
  • Received : 2008.11.19
  • Accepted : 2009.06.07
  • Published : 2009.06.30
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Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the length of the catheter used in a needle thoracostomy for emergency decompression of a tension pneumothorax by measuring the chest wall thickness (CWT) in patients with chest trauma Methods: A retrospective review of 201 patients with chest trauma who had been transported the emergency department in a tertiary university hospital in a metropolitan area between 1 January and 31 February 2007 was performed. The average CWT at the second intercostal space (ICS) in the midclavicular line (MCL) was measured by using a chest computed tomography scan. Results: As the left and the right mean CWTs were $3.4{\pm}1.0cm$ and $3.4{\pm}1.0cm$, respectively, there was no significant statistical difference between them. The mean CWT of female patients was significantly higher than that of male patients (p=0.001). The mean CWT of patients under the age of 65 years was significantly thicker than that of the patients over the age of 65 years (p<0.001). Of the studied patients, 12 (6.0%) a CWT > 5 cm. Conclusion: A 5 cm-length catheter in a needle thoracostomy may be insufficient for emergency decompression of a tension pneumothorax, so a catheter longer than 5 cm in length is needed.

Keywords

References

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