Strife J L, Smith P, Dunbar J S, Steven J M
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1983 Jul;141(1):73-5. doi: 10.2214/ajr.141.1.73.
Newborn infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome have an increased incidence of pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and pneumothorax. A chest tube inserted for treatment of a pneumothorax may inadvertently perforate the lung. Recognition of chest tube perforation can be suggested by the occurrence of: (1) persistent or repeated pneumothoraces despite the presence of a chest tube and (2) atelectasis and/or infiltrate near the end of the chest tube.
