OPTICC: A multicentre trial of Occult Pneumothoraces subjected to mechanical ventilation: The final report.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with occult pneumothorax (OPTX) requiring positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) face uncertain risks of tension pneumothorax or chest drainage complications. METHODS: Adults with traumatic OPTXs requiring PPV were randomized to drainage/observation, with the primary outcome of composite "respiratory distress" (RD)). RESULTS: Seventy-five (75) patients were randomized to observation, 67 to drainage. RD occurred in 38% observed and 25% drained (p = 0.14; Power = 0.38), with no mortality differences. One-quarter of observed patients failed, reaching 40% when ventilated >5 days. Twenty-three percent randomized to drainage had complications or ineffectual drains. CONCLUSION: RD was not significantly different with observation. Thus, OPTXs may be cautiously observed in stable patients undergoing short-term PPV when prompt "rescue drainage" is immediately available. As 40% of patients undergoing prolonged (≥5 days) ventilation (PPPV) require drainage, we suggest consideration of chest drainage performed with expert guidance to reduce risk of chest tube complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level II.

Occult pneumothoraces in critical care: a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial of pleural drainage for mechanically ventilated trauma patients with occult pneumothoraces.

BACKGROUND: Patients with an occult pneumothoraces (OPTXs) may be at risk of tension pneumothoraces (TPTXs) without drainage or pleural drainage complications if treated. METHODS: Adults with traumatic OPTXs and requiring positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) were randomized to pleural drainage or observation (one side only enrolled if bilateral). All subsequent care and method of pleural drainage was per attending physician discretion. The primary outcome was a composite of respiratory distress (RD) (need for urgent pleural drainage, acute/sustained increases in O2 requirements, ventilator dysynchrony, and/or charted respiratory events). RESULTS: Ninety severely injured patients (mean [SD], Injury Severity Score [ISS], 33 [11]) were studied at four centers: Calgary (55), Toronto (27), Quebec (6), and Sherbrooke (3). Forty were randomized to tube thoracostomy, and 50 were randomized to observation. The risk of RD was similar between the observation and tube thoracostomy groups (relative risk, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-1.27). There was no difference in mortality or intensive care unit (ICU), ventilator, or hospital days between groups. In those observed, 20% required subsequent pleural drainage (40% PTX progression, 60% pleural fluid, and 20% other). One observed patient (2%) undergoing PPV at enrollment had a TPTX, which was treated with urgent tube thoracostomy without sequelae. Drainage complications occurred in 15% of those randomized to drainage, while suboptimal tube thoracostomy position occurred in an additional 15%. There were three times (24% vs. 8%) more failures and more RDs (p = 0.01) among those observed with OPTXs requiring sustained PPV versus just for an operation, which increases threefold after a week in the ICU (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that OPTXs may be safely observed in hemodynamically stable patients undergoing PPV just for an operation, although one third of those requiring a week or more of ICU care received drainage, and TPTXs still occur. Complications of pleural drainage remain unacceptably high, and future work should attempt to delineate specific factors among those observed that warrant prophylactic drainage. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level III.