Pigtail Catheter Versus Chest Tube in the Management of Traumatic Pneumothorax

A Prospective Randomized Study of 14-French (14F) Pigtail Catheters Versus 28F Chest Tubes in Patients With Traumatic Pneumothorax: Impact on Tube-Site Pain and Failure Rate

A small 14-French(F) pigtail catheter (PC) has been shown to work equally well with traditional 32-40F chest tube (CT), especially in traumatic pneumothorax.

There are no clinical data on tube-site pain. The investigators hypothesize that PC tube site pain is less than CT.

Primary outcome: - Tube site pain

• Pain medication requirement

Secondary outcome: failure rate insertion-related complication

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years old and above
• Suffer traumatic pneumothorax that requires chest tube insertion

Exclusion Criteria:

• Emergency chest tube insertion
• patient refuses
• patient is unable to provide or rate pain assessment
• prisoner
• pregnancy
• patient with GCS less than 13