Abstract
Background and objective
This study aims to quantify bedside pleural procedures performed at a quaternary teaching hospital describing technical and epidemiological aspects.
Materials and methods
The authors retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who underwent invasive thoracic bedside procedures between March 2022 and February 2023.
Results
463 chest tube insertions and 200 thoracenteses were performed during the study period. Most procedures were conducted by 1st-year Thoracic Surgery residents, with Ultrasound Guidance (USG). There was a notable preference for small-bore pigtail catheters, with a low rate of immediate complications.
Conclusion
Bedside thoracic procedures are commonly performed in current medical practice and are significant in surgical resident training. The utilization of pigtail catheters and point-of-care ultrasonography by surgical residents in pleural procedures is increasingly prevalent and demonstrates high safety.
Keywords
Pleural diseases; Thoracentesis; Thoracic drainage; Minor surgical procedures; Medical education
Highlights
-
Thoracentesis and chest tube insertions are frequent procedures in the medical routine.
-
Resident physician training includes practice in pleural procedures.
-
Point-of-care ultrasound is indicated when performing these procedures.
-
Using small-bore pigtail pleural catheters is safe and increasingly common.