Pneumothorax drainage is typically placed in which location?

• A. Anteriorly near the lung's apex
• B. Posterior chest wall near the scapula
• C. Medial upper chest near the sternum
• D. Lateral lower abdomen

Answer: (A)

Air tends to accumulate at the highest point of the pleural space, so draining pneumothorax is best accomplished by inserting the chest tube into the apical portion of the pleural cavity on the affected side. Placing it anteriorly near the lung’s apex provides direct access to the apical air, allowing rapid evacuation and reducing ongoing air leakage. In practice, apical anterior placements—such as the second intercostal space at the midclavicular line for rapid decompression or the fourth to fifth intercostal space in the anterior axillary line for a fuller chest tube—are favored. Sites that are further back, near the scapula, or near the sternum, don’t access the apical pleura as reliably and carry higher risk of injury, while an area like the lower abdomen is not within the pleural space at all.