Today our topic of discussion is After Care for Thoracentesis.
After Care for Thoracentesis
After Care
- Instruct patient to lie on non-affected site for 1 hour.
- Ensure bed rest for 6-8 hours
- Monitor vital signs every half hour until stable
- Observe patient for signs and symptoms of hemothorax, tension pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema and air embolism
- Administer analgesics and antibiotics as prescribed
- Instruct patient to carry out deep breathing exercises
- A chest X-ray may be taken to determine the effects of the procedure
- The puncture site should be treated aseptically to prevent contamination of the wound
- The container with aspirated fluid should be labeled and sent to the laboratory with requisition form
- Replace the articles after cleaning
- Wash hands thoroughly
- Record the procedure in the nurse’s record sheet.
Complications
- Pneumothorax and hemothorax: Sudden rise of sharp pain in the chest, persistent cough, shortness of breath, fall in blood pressure, rapid pulse, anxiety, restlessness and faintness, profuse sweating, pallor and cyanosis
- Tension pneumothorax: Marked dyspnea, cyanosis, reduced or absence of breath sounds and decreased movement of chest on respiration on the affected site.
- Acute chest pain, increased pulse and respiratory rates.
- Shifting of the trachea to the unaffected side
- Mediastinal shift: Cyanosis, severe dyspnea, deviation of larynx and trachea from their normal midline position towards the unaffected side, shifting of the heart heat position of maximum impulse and distended neck veins .
- Pulmonary edema: Blood tinged frothy sputum:
- Coughs, rates, wheezing severe dyspnea
- Cyanosis, tachycardia, tachypnea, distended neck
- Veins, signs of heart failure, peripheral edema and Altered level of consciousness.
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