Compact Intercostal Drainage

Abstract

Chest injury is a serious condition in emergency room. Patients may die from treatment due to delayed intercostal drainage (ICD) and delayed application of the system for ICD from plural space. We invented a new system from the same principle of ICD drainage applying the priciple of fluid mechanics to a new easy system with common equipment that easy to control, monitor without water as the existing 3 bottles system. Patient could easy ambulate without concern about water leakage, complication or broken; and the system could be rapidly setup. This system could become a new easy system for the treatment of pleural pathology with more efficiency, decrease complication incidence and wrong system setting in ICD, and decrease equipment cost in ICD care. The invention procedures began by making a hole on a urinary bag’s tube size on locked plastic box. Apply silicone rubber around the urine bag drainage tube for prevent air inside to negative box but easy and make it convenient to change the bag. Then made a hole at the side of the plastic box for vacuum chamber with a small balloon to display working situation. Connected with vacuum pump and arrange switch for easy for start and stop. Insert adjustable valve for adjusting negative pressure and assembled a vacuum pressure gauge monitor that easy to monitor, and put together every equipment into the box set for easy mobility, start-stop the system and changible urine bag. The new system for ICD was easy, friendly and quickly for any user. The device was easily monitored and easy to adjust negative pressure gauge. Amount of secretion was easy to monitor on urinary bag scale; and the device was easy to move without breaking the system. We applied this device in 3 patients with chest injury and found that it was fully working without complication. It could decrease setting system time from 29 minute to 18 minute compared with the old 3 bottles system. There was high satisfaction among nurses (81%) and physicians (73%). The cost was decreased from 2,800 bath per unit to 1,910.50 bath per unit and plus 16.50 bath per each urine bag change. This new innovation was applied from the 3 bottles ICD principle but more efficient, convenient and rapid system setup without any complication and lower cost.