PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 
INTRODUCTION
1 HISTORY OF CHEST DRAINAGE 
2 ANATOMY OF THE CHEST
2.1 Thoracic cage 
2.2 Thoracic wall 
2.3 Projection of organs and vessels onto the chest wall
3 INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR CHEST DRAINAGE 
3.1 Overview of chest drainage indications
3.2 contraindications to chest drainage
4 TYPES OF CHEST DRAINAGE
4.1 Basic chest drainage methods
5 PREPARATION OF THE PATIENT FOR CHEST DRAINAGE
5.1 Medical history 
5.2 Objective examination
5.3 Evaluation of radiology documentation 
5.4 Additional examinations
5.5 Laboratory examination
5.6 Consideration of the indications, timing and type of chest drainage. preparation of the patient prior to chest drainage
5.7 Interview with the patient
5.8 Informed consent 
6 TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF CHEST DRAINAGE: STEP BY STEP
6.1 Staff
6.2 Chest drainage equipment
6.3 What chest tube diameter should be selected? 
6.4 Chest tube insertion procedure
6.5 Patient instructions 
7 CHEST TUBE MAINTENANCE AND REMOVAL 
7.1 General principles of chest tube maintenance
7.2 Chest tube removal
8 ROLE OF THE NURSE IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS REQUIRING CHEST DRAINAGE
8.1 Requisite knowledge
8.2 Scope of the nurse’s work
9 SPECIAL SITUATIONS AND SPECIFIC TASKS DURING CHEST DRAINAGE
9.1 Multiple chest drains 
9.2 Intrapleural application of fibrinolytics
9.3 Pleurodesis
9.4 Autohemopleurodesis 
9.5 Long-term chest drainage 
9.6 Antibiotic filling of the pleural cavity
9.7 Drainage of the postpneumonectomy space
10 CHEST DRAINAGE COMPLICATIONS 
10.1 Technical complications 
10.2 Patient-associated complications
10.3 Complications associated with the medical and attending staff 
11 MISTAKES AND ERRORS IN CHEST DRAINAGE INDICATIONS AND TECHNIQUE
11.1 Mistakes and errors when indicating chest drainage 
11.2 Mistakes and errors in technical aspects of chest drainage 
11.3 Mistakes and errors in drainage system settings 
11.4 Mistakes and errors in chest tube maintenance 
AUTHOR PROFILES
INDEX