Complications of chest drain insertion
| All drains (n=824) | Drains for pneumothorax (n=239) | Drains for pleural effusion (n=585) | |
| Immediate complications | |||
| Bleeding | 11 (1.3%) | 3 (1.3%) | 8 (1.4%) |
| Pain | 34 (4.1%) | 17 (7.1%) | 17 (2.9%) |
| Vasovagal syncope | 17 (2.1%) | 5 (2.1%) | 12 (2.0%) |
| Organ puncture | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Failure to place drain in pleural space | 20 (2.4%) | 9 (3.8%) | 11 (1.8%) |
| Iatrogenic pneumothorax | NA | NA | 22 (3.7%) |
| Death | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Delayed complications | |||
| Drain fell out | 60 (7.3%) | 19 (8%) | 41 (7%) |
| Pain | 148 (18%) | 59 (25%) | 89 (9.7%) |
| Drain blocked | 61 (7.4%) | 11 (4.6%) | 50 (8.5%) |
| Pleural space infection | 6 (0.73%) | 3 (1.3%) | 3 (0.51%) |
| Skin infection | 7 (0.8%) | 2 (0.8%) | 5 (0.9%) |
| Surgical emphysema | 28 (3.4%) | 24 (10%) | 4 (0.7%) |
| Re-expansion pulmonary oedema | 3 (0.36%) | 0 | 3 (0.4%) |
| Death | 1 (0.12%) | 1 (0.4%) | 0 |