How do you assess for an air leak in a chest tube system?

• A. Look for signs of infection
• B. Observe continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber, inspect connections, and check for kinks or loose connections
• C. Measure central venous pressure
• D. Check oxygen saturation

Answer: (B)

In chest tube systems, the telltale sign of an air leak is continuous bubbling in the water-seal chamber. To assess for a leak, start by watching that chamber for ongoing bubbling. Then inspect every connection along the chest tube path to ensure all joints are tightly sealed, and look for any kinks or loose connections that could let air escape or be drawn into the system. This combination directly reveals whether air is leaking from the pleural space or from a faulty connection.

Signs of infection, central venous pressure, or oxygen saturation don’t specifically indicate an air leak in the chest tube circuit, so they don’t address the question of leaks directly.