How a Chest Tube Drainage System Works


Bottle 1: Fluid Collection. This is a simple collection bottle that connects directly to your chest tube. Look here to see how much blood you’ve collected from your hemothorax, or fluid from your pleural effusion, or pus from your empyema.


Bottle 2: Water Seal. This is a more complicated setup that allows you to detect air from your pneumothorax (or from a leak due to equipment failure). 


Bottle 3: Suction Control. This is the fanciest bottle of all, and includes a manometer that allows you to deliver controlled suction through your chest tube. 


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