Physician specialty as a source of heterogeneity in the care of patients with COPD.

Patients, No. 8 30 Most common primary site (No.) Lung (5) Lung (9) Length of hospitalization, median (mean), d 1 (1.5) 1.79 (3.19) Length of time with TPC, median (mean), d 16 (21) a 7.54 (16.65) Need for thoracostomy tube No Yes Violation of visceral pleura No No Technique used to determine likelihood of pleurodesis Postthoracentesis radiograph Pleural manometry Immediate postoperative drainage technique TPC to continuous suction at 2 20 cm H 2 O 24F Chest tube to continuous suction at 2 20 cm H 2 O Anesthesia General anesthesia Moderate sedation Procedure-related complications 0 Fever (2), empyema (1) Procedure-related deaths 0 0 Patients who died with TPC in place, No. (%) 1 (12.5) 4 (13) Clogging of TPC 0 0