Hemothorax
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Hemothorax Treatment
The objective of treatment is to stabilize the patient, stop the bleeding, and remove the blood and air in the pleural space. A chest tube is inserted through the chest wall to drain the blood and air, and it is left in place for several days to re-expand the lung. The cause of the hemothorax should be also treated. However, in trauma patients, depending on the severity of the injury, chest tube drainage is often all that is necessary, and surgery is often not required.
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