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A 40-year-old male sustained a pleural effusion. The chest x-ray shows that accumulation of fluid is present in the left lower lobe of the lung. The physician decides to insert a chest tube to drain the fluid. Where is the insertion site?

Explanation

•Chest tubes used to drain fluid or blood are usually placed at the lateral chest wall, near the fourth to sixth intercostal space.

•Since air rises, chest tubes for a pneumothorax are often placed at the upper anterior thorax.

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