Wearable Modular Chest Tube Carrying Apparatus for Lower Extremities

Year 2022, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 1 - 7, 28.06.2022

Sinan Köse , Demet Bal , Tuğba Özcan , Kevser Kasap

Abstract

Chest tube application is performed in the treatment of lung diseases such as pneumothorax, hemothorax, pleural effusion and empyema, and in the drainage of blood and air accumulated in the pleural cavity after thoracic surgery. In chest tube application using a closed underwater drainage system, it is necessary to use the chest tube correctly in order to realize one-way drainage in the lungs, to ensure the continuity of effective ventilation and closed drainage. During the mobilization process after chest tube application, the patient carries the drainage bottle by holding it from the carrying strap at the top of the bottle, putting the bottle in a bag and tying it to the IV pole. During transportation, the drainage bottle is overturned and damaged and the chest tube may come off due to reasons such as rupture of the strap, rupture of the bag, and the fall of the IV pole. Due to the displacement of the chest tube, air fills the pleural space and the lungs lose their function due to the increased positive pressure. In addition, it causes complications such as bleeding, pain and infection caused by trauma in the incision area and prolong the patient's discharge period. In this study, it was aimed to design a modular chest tube carrying device that can be worn on the lower extremities to minimize the problems that may occur in the transportation of the chest tube, which is used to drain blood and air in patients who have undergone thoracic surgery. The developed chest tube carrying device design consists of a physical structure that can be worn on the lower extremities of the patient and consists of the chest tube carrying apparatus body where different sizes of chest tubes are positioned, the unit cover that prevents the chest tube from being dislodged, and the leg connection strap that connects the chest tube body to the lower extremities. The chest tube carrying apparatus body can be locked by closing with the unit cover, thus ensuring the safety of the chest tube. The chest tube carrying apparatus can be fixed to the patient's leg by adjusting the connecting straps according to the size of the lower extremity of the patient. In addition, the spring mechanism located at the bottom of the chest tube carrying apparatus body softens the hard movements that may occur during the mobilization of the patient in order not to damage the chest tube. As a result, the use of a wearable modular chest tube carrying device for the lower extremities aims to prevent complications caused by the fall of the chest drainage bottle during transportation. In this way, patients with chest tube can be mobilized after chest tube application, while performing the chest tube more safely and comfortably.

Keywords

Wearable technology, thoracic surgery, chest tube, modular, carrying device

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