Template:Chest tube size table

Adult Chest Tube Sizes

Chest Tube Size	Type of Patient	Underlying Causes
Small (8-14 Fr)	Most spontaneous pneumothorax (primary and secondary) Most iatrogenic pneumothorax	Alveolar-pleural fistulae (small air leak) Iatrogenic air
Medium (20-28 Fr)	Pneumothorax on mechanical ventilation Non-traumatic tension pneumothorax Malignant effusion	Bronchial-pleural fistulae (large air leak) Malignant fluid
Large (36-40 Fr)	Traumatic pneumothorax Empyema	Bleeding (Hemothorax/hemopneumothorax) Thick pus