Doubly angled pleural drain circumventing the transcostal route relieves pain after cardiac surgery

Abstract

Standard pleural drainage after cardiac surgery is accomplished through the intercostal space and the divided parietal pleural, often causing severe additional chest pain. To circumvent this route of insertion a doubly angled polyvinyl chloride drain was developed which can be placed via the median approach through the rectus abdominis muscle just beside the anterior mediastinal drains without irritation of the heart and parietal pleura into the phrenico-costal sinus.