Infections of the pleural space are common, and patients require antibiotics and chest drain placement to evacuate the chest from the infected fluid. Chest drains can get blocked by the drainage fluid and material. For this reason, it is thought that flushing the chest drain with saline solution, can help maintain the patency of the tube. This proposed study will evaluate the impact of regular chest drain flushing on the length of time to chest tube removal and total hospitalization as well as improvement in chest imaging and the need for additional interventions on the infected space.
Empyema, Pleural, Pleural Infection
Infections of the pleural space are common, and patients require antibiotics and chest drain placement to evacuate the chest from the infected fluid. Chest drains can get blocked by the drainage fluid and material. For this reason, it is thought that flushing the chest drain with saline solution, can help maintain the patency of the tube. This proposed study will evaluate the impact of regular chest drain flushing on the length of time to chest tube removal and total hospitalization as well as improvement in chest imaging and the need for additional interventions on the infected space.
Chest Drain Regular Flushing in Complicated Parapneumonic Effusions and Empyemas
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Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37203
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.
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18 Years to
ALL
No
Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
Jennifer D Duke, MD, STUDY_DIRECTOR, Vanderbilt University
2025-10-30