The thoracic vent. Clinical experience with a new device for treating simple pneumothorax.

We report recent experience with a new device, the thoracic vent, in the management of simple pneumothorax. There were 16 patients aged 19 to 73 years who suffered pneumothorax due to spontaneous (4), traumatic (3), or iatrogenic (9) causes. Ease of insertion, patient tolerance, and the presence of a unique signal diaphragm all contributed to patient and physician acceptance of the device. Average time to pneumothorax resolution was 2.5 days, and time to thoracic vent removal averaged 3.2 days. There were no immediate recurrences or significant complications. We conclude that the thoracic vent is an effective device for initial and definitive therapy of simple pneumothorax.