title: Outpatient management of intercostal tube drainage in spontaneous pneumothorax.
abstract: In a series of 226 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, 167 (74%) were managed successfully on an outpatient basis by observation (20%) or by intercostal tube drainage and a flutter valve (54%). Only 59 patients (26%) were hospitalized, and 42 of these were treated surgically (18.6%). Outpatient management with a flutter valve has proved to be safe, efficient, and economical.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D013909:Thorax / Q000601:surgery*