Care after your Heimlich Valve Placement
What is a Heimlich Valve?
This is a one-way valve that allows air to flow out of the chest. This valve and chest tube are used to treat chronic (doesn’t go away) and recurrent (happens over and over) air between the membranes around the lungs.
Simple advice for the care and management of the Heimlich Valve is provided in this handout.
Chest Tube and Valve Care
- You should see the passage of air or fluids through the valve.
- Fluttering of the valve and/or “honking or duck-like sound” is normal. Check your chest tube site daily for signs and symptoms of infection.
- Increased redness or warmth at insertion site
- Pus-like drainage
- Large amounts of swelling or bleeding
- Temperature (by mouth) greater than 100.4° F. for two readings taken 4 hours apart
How to Shower
You may shower with a waterproof dressing over the chest tube, insertion site, and the valve. Put a piece of Saran® wrap over the tube, site and valve. Tape all the edges down to keep the water out.
Do not put the Heimlich valve directly into water. Do not obstruct the tip of the valve that is open to air.
How to Clean and Change the Dressing
The chest tube insertion site needs to be washed with mild soap and water every other day. Do not use soaps with lotion or heavy fragrance. These can bother your skin. If you have drainage around the site you may need to wash it everyday.
Wear a split gauze bandage around chest tube at the insertion site. Place a 4x4 gauze directly over the split guaze and the chest tube. Secure the drressings with tape. You may prepare your skin with a skin barrier (3M® "No-Sting”) to protect it from repeated exposure to tape. Remember to change the placement of the tape with each dressing change. See diagram.
Tape the tube or valve to your skin so there is no pulling or kinking of the chest tube.
Be sure to position the secured tube and valve below the insertion site on your chest so fluid in the tube does not re-enter your chest
The valve should never be closed with tape, an airtight dressing, or a rubber glove, etc. No airtight mechanism can be used on the end of the valve. If there is drainage from the valve, gauze can be wrapped around the end of the valve. Fasten this by taping the gauze to the valve.
The connection between the chest tube and valve will be secured with a band.
Activity
Lifting restrictions:
- If you have only a chest tube and valve, you have no lifting restrictions.
- If you have an incision, do not lift greater than 5-10 pounds for 3-4 weeks after your surgery.
Do not soak in a bathtub, hot tub, or go swimming while the chest tube is in or until your incisions are healed.
Do not put lotions, powders, or any ointment on the insertion site.
Follow-up visits with your doctor may be weekly or every other week. A chest x-ray will be done to make sure your lung remains expanded.
When to Call the Doctor
- The valve comes apart from teh chest tube. Reattach it right away.
- You have a sudden onset of sharp chest pain with shortness of breath.
- There is increased tenderness or pain that doesn’t go away with pain medicine.
- Signs of infection:
- Increased redness or warmth at insertion site
- Pus-like drainage
- Large amounts of swelling or bleeding
- Temperature (by mouth) greater than 100.4° F. for two readings taken 4 hours apart.
If you develop sudden, severe shortness of breath, call 911.
Phone Numbers
Surgery Clinic, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., (608) 263-7502.
Dr. Wegels office: (608)265-0499
Dr. Maloney's office: (608)263-5215
After hours, weekends and holidays, the clinic number will be answered by the hospital-paging operator (608) 262-2122. Ask for the thoraic surgery resident on call. Leave your name and phone number with the area code. The doctor will call you back.
If you live out of the area, please call: Toll Free: 1-800-323-8942.
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 02/27/2013
Copyright © 02/27/2013 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#5854
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