This document discusses the pigtail catheter, which is a drainage catheter used to drain fluids from parts of the body. It has side holes at the tip and a tightly coiled tail. This allows for single-stick placement through a trocar needle and helps hold it in place. It can drain bile, urine, pancreatic fluids, air, and be used for pleural drainage and imaging studies. It has advantages over larger chest tubes as it is smaller and less painful. However, it is more prone to obstruction and kinking. The document then describes the components, placement procedure, and uses of pigtail catheters.

1. Dr.S.Marimuthu, M.S., D.N.B., M.Ch
Consultant Surgical Oncologist
Vishnu Cancer Centre & Research Institute
THANJAVUR, INDIA
PIGTAIL CATHETER

2. Pigtail catheter
• A drainage catheter with side holes in the tip
side.
• Used for draining clear non-viscid or non-
coagulable collections of bile, urine or
pancreatic fluids and even air in cases of
spontaneous pneumothorax

3. • Ending in a tightly curled tip that resembles the
tail of a pig.
• The pigtail catheter fits over the trocar needle
which allows for single-stick placement of the
catheter.
• The coiled end acts to hold the catheter in place
• It can also be used to slow the flow of fluids
injected through the catheter so that they do not
burst out in a jet and cause injuries or obscure a
medical imaging study.

4. PIGTAIL CATHETER
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5. COMPONENTS
• 1.NEEDLE PROTECTION SHEATH
• 2.PUNCTURE NEEDLE
• 3.CONNECTOR
• 4.CATHETER
• 5.OUTER SHEATH

6. Catheter with outer sheath

7. Catheter was straightened with outer
sheath

8. Straightening is maintained with
Trochar needle put into the catheter

9. Procedure
• Site is marked and infiltrated with Local
Anesthesia
• Small nick is put with 11 blade
• Catheter with needle and trochar introduced
into the cavity to be drained
• Needle is removed and drainage of fluid is
confirmed
• Catheter is advanced further and trochar is
removed
• Catheter is fixed in the skin with suture

10. Procedure
• Catheter is connected to connector and
drainage bag
• In case of pleural drainage, catheter is
connected to under water drainage

12. Uses
• Nephrostomy
• Intra-peritoneal fluid drainage(abcess, bile,
pancreatic fluid, ascites, urine)
• Pleural fluid drainage
• Pleurodesis with instillation of sclerosant into
pleural cavity
• Imaging studies that use tracer dyes

13. Advantage
• Intercostal space -9mm
• Normal ICD tube 28-9.3mm, 32- 10.6mm
• So it will not impinge on neurovascular
structures in IC space and produce more pain
• 12F pigtail catheter- 4mm
• So it will not impinge on neurovascular
structures in IC space, there will be less pain

14. Pros and cons
• They are easier to insert, disrupt less
tissue, are less painful, and usually placed
more quickly.
• On the other hand, they are more likely to
obstruct, can easily kink, allow significantly
less flow out of the chest and may not work
for thick fluid drainage.

15. Our Team-Tumor board Members
• Dept of Surgical Oncology
 Dr.S.Marimuthu, MS., DNB.,MCh
• Dept of Medical Oncology
 Dr.S.Suresh., MD(RT),DM(Med.Onco)
• Dept of Radiation Oncology
 Prof.G.L.Murugavel
 Dr.K.Shanti
 Dr.R.Vijayakumar
• Dept. of OncoPathology
 Dr.K.G.padmanaban
 Dr.Shanthi

16. Videos on Web
• www.youtube.com/ search as saravanamuthu
Marimuthu
• More than 30 videos
• More than 30,000 viewers

17. THANK YOU