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A new device for diagnosis and treatment of neonatal pneumothorax

  • J. G. Shutack
  • , M. J. Wagaman
  • , A. S. Moomjian
  • , R. D. Eavey
  • , T. H. Shaffer
  • , W. W. Fox
  • The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  • Unknown

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A new closed-system device for the diagnosis and treatment of pneumothorax was evaluated in ten New Zealand white rabbits and compared with an open-system needle. The closed-system device proved to be safe for diagnostic thoracentesis. There were no pneumothoraces as a result of the procedure with the closed-system device as confirmed by chest roentgenograms and pleural pressure measurements. In contrast, 70% of the diagnostic thoracenteses with the open-system needle were associated with pneumothorax documented by X-ray films and a significant increase in mean pleural pressure. The new apparatus was more efficacious for evacuation of pneumothoraces because complete air removal occurred in 90% of the rabbits as compared with 60% of trials with the open-system needle. If the efficacy of the new closed-system device proves to be good in human infants, the pediatrician encountering a tension pneumothorax in the newborn can use a completely assembled system that is safe for diagnosing and treating this acute life-threatening condition.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)252-255
Number of pages4
JournalPediatrics
Volume63
Issue number2
StatePublished - 1979
Externally publishedYes

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