Modified central venous catheter for pneumothorax.

Pneumothorax frequently requires drainage, and many thoracic surgeons continue to use the traditional rigid chest tubes. Traditional tube thoracostomy using a large-bore tube is an essential technique for thoracic surgeons, but it is associated with significant pain at the time of insertion and during continued drainage. We have found a new small-bore, flexible thoracostomy method using a modified central venous catheter that is simple, less painful, and safe.