Is chest tube insertion with ultrasound guidance safe in patients using clopidogrel?

Authors

Wissam Abouzgheib
Yousef R. Shweihat, Marshall UniversityFollow
Nikhil Meena
Thaddeus Barrter

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2012

Abstract

Background and objective: Drainage of the pleural space is a common procedure.The safety of chest tube insertion in patients using clopidogrel has not been investigated.

Methods: Ultrasound-guided chest tube insertions performed on 24 patients who were being actively treated with clopidogrel were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: No excessive bleeding occurred in any of these patients.

Conclusions: Given the known effects of clopidogrel on platelet function, these results were interpreted as indicating that clopidogrel therapy is a relative but not an absolute contraindication to chest tube insertion, if an experienced operator places a small-bore tube under ultrasound guidance.

Comments

The version of record is available at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1843.2012.02230.x.

Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology. All rights reserved.

Recommended Citation

Abouzgheib, W., Shweihat, Y.R., Meena, N. and Bartter, T., 2012. Is chest tube insertion with ultrasound guidance safe in patients using clopidogrel?. Respirology, 17(8), pp.1222-1224.