Suction Versus Water Seal for Initial Treatment of Traumatic Pneumothorax Trial

After chest tube placement, the chest tube will be placed to 20cm H2O of suction for 1 minute to evacuate all pneumothorax. After this, the chest tube will be placed to water seal, defined as the water seal chamber on the chest tube drainage system being filled up to the 2cm line and not on suction. All other management decisions related to the chest tube will be left to the providers.

After chest tube placement, the suction group will have their chest tube placed to 20cm H2O of suction delivered by the chest tube drainage suction. All other management decisions related to the chest tube will be left to the providers.