Chest tube insertion is now commonly done with direct ultrasound guidance. This approach allows the physician both to assess whether the pleural effusion is simple or complex and loculated, and to select the safest site for entering the pleural space. In some cases of pneumothorax, a chest drain can be inserted under computed tomography-guidance, especially in patients with underlying lung disease where it is difficult to differentiate a large bulla from free air in the pleural space.
In the clinic