title: A regional survey of chest drains: evidence-based practice?
abstract: Although the use of chest drains is common in medicine, there appear to be wide variations in practice. A survey was therefore conducted to establish the current status of chest drain management in the Northwest region. A questionnaire targeted consultants practising in the specialties of chest medicine, general surgery, accident & emergency and cardiothoracic surgery. The questionnaire consisted of five sections encompassing aspects of the insertion, day-to-day care and removal of chest drains. With an overall response rate of 75.3% (110/146), important variations in every major aspect of the practice of chest drains were found between the specialties and to a large extent within each specialty. We have made a number of recommendations which aim to encourage good practice and reduce unnecessary complications, including the adoption of standardised protocols for inserting and managing chest drains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasan
mesh_terms: D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D011364:Professional Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires