The authors reviewed the literature surrounding use of pigtail catheters for traumatic hemothorax and found:
“these data support using percutaneous thoracostomy as a safe and reliable treatment option for hemodynamically stable adult patients with traumatic hemothorax and are backed by major trauma society guidelines including the Eastern Society for the Surgery of Trauma and the Western Trauma Association.1,3 It has the added benefit of the insertion being less painful with the understanding that the percutaneous thoracostomy can always be upsized to a thoracostomy tube.”
References
Pigtail Catheters Are Effective and Provide Added Benefits in Traumatic Hemothorax Management
Owodunni, Oluwafemi P.Moore, Sarah A.Hynes, Allyson M. et al.
