ArticleInternal and emergency medicine2026
Incidence and predictors of complications of tube thoracostomy performed in the emergency department for non-traumatic pleural pathologies.
Article in Internal and emergency medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Tube Thoracostomy Across Emergency Medicine, Thoracic Surgery, and Intensive Care Residents: A Three-Year Retrospective Analysis of Practice Patterns and Complications at a Tertiary University Hospital.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Pigtail catheter found in the Lingula of a pediatric patient on VV-ECMO while performing flexible bronchoscopy: a case report on an unexpected finding.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Tube thoracostomy (TT) is a common emergency procedure for the management of non-traumatic pleural conditions in the emergency department (ED). While effective, it carries a significant risk of complications. We aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of complications associated with TT performed in the ED for non-traumatic pleural pathologies. Retrospective cohort study involving adult patients undergoing TT in the ED of a University Hospital between 2020 and 2023 in Italy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for complications. We enrolled 293 adult patients who underwent TT in the ED. Of these, 40% (116/293) were female, and the median age was 70 years (50-78). A pleural effusion was diagnosed in 67% (197/293) of patients, 11% (20/197) of whom had a loculated effusion, whereas a pneumothorax in 43% (126/293). TT-related complications occurred in 24% of cases, with malposition/dislodgment (13%), pneumothorax (9%) and obstruction (5%) most frequent. No deaths were directly attributed to TT. Multivariable analysis identified higher platelet counts (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.02-1.89, p = 0.035) and localized pleural disease (OR 1.44, 95%CI 1.09-1.90, p = 0.011) as independent risk factors. No significant association was found with operator specialty, seniority, drain type, or time of procedure. TT performed in the ED for non-traumatic pleural diseases is associated with a complication rate comparable to other settings. Complicated pleural pathology and elevated platelet count were the main predictors of adverse events.
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