What is a underwater seal drainage?

Chest drains also known as under water sealed drains (UWSD) are inserted to allow draining of the pleural spaces of air, blood or fluid, allowing expansion of the lungs and restoration of negative pressure in the thoracic cavity. The underwater seal also prevents backflow of air or fluid into the pleural cavity.

What are the indications for underwater seal drainage?

Indications

• Pneumothorax (spontaneous, tension, iatrogenic, traumatic)
• Pleural collection – Pus ( empyema), blood ( hemothorax), chyle ( chylothorax)
• Malignant effusions (pleurodesis)
• Postoperative.
• Thoracotomy.
• Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)

What are the types of underwater seal drainage?

Three types of underwater seal drainage systems are available: the 1-bottle, the 2-bottle, and the 3-bottle system. o In the 1-bottle system the chest drain is connected by collecting tubing to a tube approximately 3 cm under water (the seal) in the underwater-seal bottle while another vent tube is open to atmosphere.

What is the function of the water seal chamber?

The middle chamber of a traditional chest drainage system is the water seal. The main purpose of the water seal is to allow air to exit from the pleural space on exhalation and prevent air from entering the pleural cavity or mediastinum on inhalation.

What are the complications of underwater seal drainage?

Pleural drain complications

• Tension pneumonthorax.
• Trauma to intrathoracic structures, intra-abdominal structures and intercostal muscles.
• Re-expansion pulmonary oedema.
• Haemorrhage.
• Incorrect tube position.
• Blocked tube.
• Pleural drain falls out.
• Subcutaneous emphysema.

How do I know if my intercostal drainage tube is functioning?

The following should be documented and assessed according to agency policy:

1. Presence of air leaks.
2. Fluctuation of water in water-seal chamber.
3. Amount of suction.
4. Amount of drainage and type.
5. Presence of crepitus (subcutaneous emphysema)
6. Breath sounds.
7. Patient comfort level or pain level.

How does a Pleur evac system work?

The unique design of the Pleur-evac dry suction control immediately responds to changes in patient pressure (patient air leak) or changes in suction pressure (surge / decrease at the suction source). Confirm that the orange float remains in the suction control indicator window at the new suction setting.

What does the term underwater seal drain mean?

un·der·wa·ter seal drain·age. Connected to an intercostal catheter, a drain is placed underwater, thus creating a seal and allowing for lung reexpansion through the removal of air, or drainage of pus, blood or other fluid, while preventing reentry of air into the space.

What is an underwater seal chest drainage system?

Underwater-seal chest drainage is a closed (airtight) system for drainage of air and fluid from the chest cavity. (1) The underwater-seal system is established by connecting a catheter (chest tube) that has been placed in the patient’s pleural cavity to drainage tubing that leads to a sealed drainage bottle.

What does a water seal drainage system do?

3. Definition Water seal drainage system is a closed chest drainage system used to allow air and fluid to escape from the plural space with each exhalation and to prevent their return flow with each inhalation watersealdrainage.

How does the underwater seal drain ( uwsd ) work?

Underwater Seal Drain Features Air/fluid leaves pleural cavity through tubing into drain and into water Air cannot flow back into pleural cavity as water impedes it Fluid cannot flow back into pleural cavity as long as the drain is kept adequately lower than insertion site to prevent siphoning May have multiple chambers