- A chest drain that is bubbling should never be clamped – the risk of tension pneumothorax
- There are a few reasons why drains may be clamped:
- During the drainage of extensive fluid, collections to prevent re-expansion pulmonary oedema
- Under specialist instructions to assess for air leaks
- No evidence clamping a chest tube before assess removal is beneficial and is generally discouraged (BTS)
- However, many physicians support the use to detect small air leaks not immediately obvious at the bedside
- A drain may be clamped for several hours, followed by a chest radiograph to assess for increased pneumothorax
- If performed must be on a ward with nursing staff trained in the management of chest drains
- If a patient with a clamped chest drain becomes breathless or deteriorates clinically the clamp should be released immediately
