title: An enclosed system for continuous postoperative mediastinal aspiration.
abstract: Blockage of mediastinal drainage tubes in the postoperative cardiac surgical patient can result in tamponade, and the small child, with a necessarily small drainage tube, is particularly susceptible to instability arising from accumulating blood in the mediastinum. A system for continuous evacuation of blood in drainage tubes is described that decreases the likelihood of blocked tubes and resultant tamponade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jobes
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Nicolson
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pigott
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Norwood
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000517:prevention & control; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period