Pierce Trocar 5mm 170mm — Heavy-Flow Thoracic

Pierce Trocar — 5mm 170mm Heavy-Flow Thoracic

The 5mm Pierce trocar is the heavy-flow thoracic-drainage variant — sized for substantial pleural collections (large parapneumonic effusion, complicated empyema, post-traumatic haemothorax) where the 4mm catheter flow rate is inadequate but the formal chest-tube is excessive. The 5mm bore accommodates 14-16 Fr drainage catheters that fall between small-bore pigtails and large-bore chest tubes.

The empyema-management spectrum

Pleural empyema requires aggressive drainage — small collections respond to 14-16 Fr catheter drainage with intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (tissue plasminogen activator, urokinase) per the MIST2 trial protocol. Large multi-loculated empyemas often require video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for definitive management. The 5mm Pierce trocar supports the catheter-drainage approach for selected empyema cases.

The traumatic-haemothorax management

Traumatic haemothorax management depends on the volume — small collections resolve spontaneously, moderate collections respond to chest-tube drainage, massive haemothorax (>1500 mL initial output or >200 mL/hour ongoing) requires surgical exploration. The 5mm Pierce trocar serves the moderate-volume drainage where formal chest-tube placement is preferred.