A chest drainage system removes air, blood, or fluid from which spaces?

• A. Lungs and bronchial tree
• B. Pleural space or mediastinal cavity
• C. Pericardial cavity
• D. Pleural membranes

Answer: (B)

A chest drainage system is meant to remove air, blood, or fluid from spaces around the lungs, mainly the pleural space and, when needed, the mediastinal cavity. Draining the pleural space relieves pressure from a pneumothorax or effusion, allowing the lung to re-expand. The lungs and bronchial tree are the airways and tissue that hold air for gas exchange, not spaces to drain via a chest tube. The pericardial cavity is a different space around the heart and isn’t the typical target for chest drainage. The pleural membranes are the lining around the lungs, not spaces to drain; drainage occurs from the space between those membranes.