What am I looking at?
Visual recognition
Locking pigtail catheter in the pleural space connected to a water-seal or suction drainage system.
12-07
Small-bore pigtail thoracostomy catheter
Small-bore chest drain
Three-panel learning framework
Recognition, context, and distinction
What does it do, and where will I see it?
Use & procedural context
Small-bore locking pigtail placed into the pleural space to evacuate air or fluid, offering a less invasive alternative to a large surgical chest tube. Typical procedural contexts include pneumothorax, simple or malignant pleural effusion, and empyema.
What most clearly distinguishes it from similar devices?
Key distinctions
This is a small-bore pleural drainage catheter designed for ongoing thoracic drainage, unlike a thoracentesis catheter intended primarily for one-time aspiration.