A 54-year-old patient underwent a thoracotomy. A chest tube was placed to help drain the blood and fluid from the pleural space. The nurse expects the hourly drainage to be less than:

Explanation

•If chest tube drainage is greater than 100 ml/hr, it should be reported to the physician.

•As much as 500 to 1000 ml may be drained in the first 24 hours post chest surgery.

•If drainage is excessive, the physician should be notified as this may require additional interventions to determine the cause. It could be due to leaking at an anastomosis.

(Anastomosis - a surgical connection between two structures)

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