Chest tubes are placed in neonates to evacuate either air (pneumothorax) or fluid (effusion, hemothorax, and empyema) from the pleural or mediastinal space, allowing reexpansion of the lung and ...

Historically, suctioning an endotracheal (ET) tube has been used routinely to remove pulmonary secretions that can block an endotracheal tube and impair air exchange in intubated patients of all ages.