Which device functions as a drainage option other than a chest tube?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Small-bore catheter
• C. Needle decompression
• D. Water seal

Answer: (B)

A small-bore catheter is used as a drainage option for the pleural space, offering a less invasive alternative to a chest tube. It’s a percutaneous catheter that can drain air or fluid and is often chosen for simpler or smaller pleural effusions and pneumothoraces. It can be placed at the bedside with image guidance and connected to a standard drainage system for continuous drainage, making it a convenient substitute when a full-sized chest tube isn’t necessary.

Oxygen provides respiratory support, not drainage. Needle decompression is an emergency maneuver to rapidly relieve a suspected tension pneumothorax but is temporary and not a continuous drainage solution. Water seal refers to the mechanism in the drainage system’s collection chamber, not a standalone device capable of draining the pleural space by itself.