Bent chest tube assembly

A chest tube assembly and clamp assembly combination, the chest tube assembly being constructed and arranged for insertion into the pleural cavity and comprising:

• an elongated catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said catherter having a central lumen extending the length thereof and communicating with an open distal end thereof, said catheter being of pre-formed shape such that a longitudinal axis of a distal segment of said distal portion forms an angle of approximately 90.degree. with a longitudinal axis of the proximal portion of the catheter;
• and
• a trocar constructed and arranged to be slidably disposed within said central lumen to selectively project from said open distal end of said catheter,
• said catheter being constructed and arranged such that (1) when said trocar is disposed in said central lumen, said catheter is straightened, thereby aligning the longitudinal axis of said distal segment with the longitudinal axis of the proximal portion, and (2) when said trocar is removed from said distal portion of said catheter, said catheter bends, returning to said pre-formed shape, and
• said clamp assembly including a split ring member constructed and arranged to surround a periphery of said catheter, said ring member including leg members for locking said clamp assembly to said catheter, said ring member including a plurality of segments extending radially therefrom for securing the clamp assembly to skin.

A method for draining the pleural cavity with a chest tube assembly, the chest tube assembly including a catheter having a proximal portion, a distal portion having a distal segment terminating in an open distal end and a central lumen communicating with said open distal end, a plurality of openings being defined in the distal portion of the catheter, said catheter having a bent, pre-formed shape such that a longitudinal axis of the distal segment forms an angle of approximately 90.degree. with a longitudinal axis of said proximal portion;

• and a trocar having a piercing tip and being slidably disposed within said central lumen and selectively projecting from said open distal end, the method comprising the steps of:
• introducing the trocar into the central lumen thereby straightening the catheter by aligning the longitudinal axis of the distal segment with the longitudinal axis of the proximal portion,
• advancing the chest tube assembly with said trocar tip projecting from said open distal end of said catheter so as to pierce the pleural wall and enter the pleural cavity,
• retracting said trocar from the distal portion of said catheter leaving said distal portion in said cavity such that upon retraction of said trocar, said catheter returns to its bent, pre-formed shape,
• securing a portion of said catheter to skin, and
• applying suction to the catheter so that substances to be removed from the cavity may enter the openings and be removed from the cavity through the central lumen.