TacMed Basic Chest Tube Kit
A complete tube-thoracostomy kit with Heimlich valve — for advanced providers draining hemothorax or effusion.
What is the TacMed Basic Chest Tube Kit? A complete tube-thoracostomy kit (SKU BCTK-HEIM) assembled by Tactical Medical Solutions for advanced providers treating hemothorax, empyema, or large pleural effusions requiring drainage. Contents: 1× Steri-Drape (large), 1× surgical gloves (powder-free synthetic, size 9), 1× Heimlich chest drain valve, 1× soft chest tube 36Fr, 1× Chloraprep swab, 1× Tape Cloth 1-inch, 1× Suture-0 (silk, curved cutting), 2× petrolatum gauze, 2× sponge gauze, 1× Kelly forcep 5.5" curved sterile, 1× Roch-Pean forcep curved 8.5", and 1× #10 disposable scalpel. Advanced provider only.
Tube thoracostomy is an advanced surgical procedure requiring formal training, credentialing, and authorization — intended for physicians, PAs, advanced-practice providers, or specially trained and credentialed tactical/SOF medical providers. This page describes the kit and its contents and is not a substitute for accredited training, and is not a procedural how-to.
Kit Contents
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Chest tube | 1× soft chest tube, 36Fr — standard adult tube-thoracostomy size |
| Drainage valve | 1× Heimlich chest drain valve — one-way flutter valve, no water seal needed |
| Sterile field | 1× Steri-Drape (large) |
| Sterile gloves | 1× surgical gloves, powder-free synthetic, size 9 |
| Skin antisepsis | 1× Chloraprep swab — chlorhexidine / isopropyl alcohol |
| Scalpel | 1× #10 disposable scalpel |
| Dissection forceps | 1× Kelly forcep 5.5" curved sterile + 1× Roch-Pean forcep curved 8.5" |
| Occlusive dressing | 2× petrolatum gauze — tube-site seal |
| Gauze | 2× sponge gauze |
| Suture | 1× Suture-0, silk loaded, curved cutting — tube securing |
| Securing tape | 1× Tape Cloth, 1-inch |
| SKU | BCTK-HEIM |
| Vendor | Tactical Medical Solutions |
What It Is
The TacMed™ Basic Chest Tube Kit provides the essential components for tube thoracostomy — the definitive treatment for hemothorax, retained pneumothorax after needle decompression, empyema, and large pleural effusions requiring continuous drainage. Assembling the components into one pre-packaged unit removes the challenge of sourcing chest-tube items separately and ensures complete procedural readiness.
It is built around a 36Fr soft chest tube — the standard adult thoracostomy size for hemothorax drainage, with a lumen wide enough to drain both fluid and clotted blood without occlusion. The Heimlich chest drain valve is a one-way flutter valve that allows pleural drainage while preventing air from re-entering the pleural space, providing the function of a traditional underwater-seal system in a compact, portable format suited to forward environments and patient transport.
Both the 5.5" Kelly and 8.5" Roch-Pean forceps support controlled blunt tissue separation through the intercostal space — a safer approach than sharp dissection through the chest wall — with the #10 scalpel for the initial skin incision. Chloraprep (chlorhexidine gluconate 2% with isopropyl alcohol 70%) provides rapid, broad-spectrum antisepsis with residual activity after drying, and petrolatum gauze at the tube-entry site creates an occlusive seal, supplemented by the 0-silk suture and tape.
Chest tube vs. needle decompression in TCCC: CoTCCC addresses tension pneumothorax with needle decompression as the primary tactical-field-care intervention; tube thoracostomy is typically a hospital-level or advanced TACEVAC procedure. This kit with Heimlich valve suits TACEVAC-level or facility-based care where continuous pleural drainage of hemothorax, retained pneumothorax, or empyema is indicated and authorized. See the chest & thoracic supplies collection for needle-decompression devices and thoracic seals.
See the full chest & thoracic supplies collection for needle-decompression kits, thoracic seals, and vented chest seals, and the airway management collection for the full airway and breathing range.
USE CASES — BASIC CHEST TUBE KIT
- Tube thoracostomy for tension/hemopneumothorax: Provides the hardware for definitive chest decompression when needle decompression (14GA TPAK) has been attempted and reassessment indicates ongoing tension or accumulating hemothorax.
- Penetrating thoracic trauma with delayed evacuation: In prolonged field care or austere settings where MEDEVAC is delayed, chest tube insertion enables ongoing drainage of the pleural space and management of recurrent tension.
- Tactical and military advanced medic use: For military medics, PAs, and combat physicians performing TCCC-level chest intervention beyond needle decompression.
- Trauma training programs: Used in advanced trauma simulation and procedural training for surgical airway, needle decompression, and thoracostomy competencies.
- Pre-hospital ALS and critical care transport: Carried by flight paramedics, critical care transport teams, and tactical EMS providers authorized to perform chest tube insertion in the pre-hospital environment.
BASIC CHEST TUBE KIT VS. OTHER CHEST INTERVENTIONS
- Basic vs. Standard Chest Tube Kit: The Basic CTK contains essential tube thoracostomy components (petrolatum gauze, sponge gauze, Kelly forcep, Roch-Pean forcep, #10 scalpel, soft chest tube 36FR). The Standard CTK adds a Cook Prep sub-kit, Beacon Chest Seal, Steri-Drape, additional forceps, suture, and surgical gloves — for a more complete procedural setup. The Standard CTK requires agency/military verification to order.
- Chest tube vs. needle decompression (TPAK): Needle decompression is a bridge intervention — rapid and simple but may require reassessment and repeat. Chest tube provides ongoing drainage. Use needle decompression first; escalate to chest tube if needed.
- Chest tube vs. finger thoracostomy: Finger thoracostomy is the fastest definitive decompression (no equipment needed) in extremis; chest tube provides a sealed drainage system. The TacMed Basic CTK supports formal tube placement.
- Basic CTK vs. Complete Chest Tube Kit: The Complete kit adds a chest drain valve and extended procedural sub-kit for more complex hemothorax management; the Basic covers essential blunt dissection and tube placement.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What does the TacMed Basic Chest Tube Kit contain?
A: The Basic CTK (SKU: BCTK-HEIM) contains: 2× Petrolatum Gauze; 2× Sponge Gauze; 1× Kelly Forcep 5.5"; 1× Roch-Pean Forcep 8.5"; 1× Disposable Scalpel #10; and soft chest tube components. It is the foundational chest thoracostomy kit without the advanced prep sub-kit included in the Standard and Complete variants.
Q: Who is authorized to use the TacMed Basic Chest Tube Kit?
A: Chest tube insertion is an advanced procedure requiring medical training and authorization under a medical director or standing orders. It is appropriate for military medics with advanced skills authorization, flight paramedics, tactical physicians and PAs, and critical care transport providers.
Q: How does the Basic Chest Tube Kit differ from the Standard?
A: The Standard CTK adds a Cook Prep sub-kit (syringe, needles, Betadine swabs), a Beacon Chest Seal, Steri-Drape, a second Kelly forcep, surgical gloves, and suture for a more complete procedural environment. The Standard CTK requires government/military purchase verification. The Basic CTK is the entry-level thoracostomy set for providers who supplement with their own prep supplies.
Q: Is the Basic Chest Tube Kit single-use?
A: Yes. TacMed Chest Tube Kit components are intended for single-patient use. Maintain sterility until deployment and replace after any use — even if a procedure was not completed.
Q: When should a chest tube be used instead of needle decompression?
A: Needle decompression (14GA TPAK) is the first-line field intervention for suspected tension pneumothorax. Chest tube insertion is indicated when needle decompression has been performed and the patient is deteriorating, when ongoing hemopneumothorax drainage is needed in prolonged field care, or when evacuation will be significantly delayed.
Related searches: chest tube kit, tube thoracostomy kit, Heimlich valve kit, 36Fr chest tube, hemothorax drainage kit.
All products sourced from the actual brand manufacturer or authorized master distributors. CoTCCC recommendation status verified where applicable. Ships from MED-TAC International, Pembroke Pines, FL — clinician-founded, veteran-led, SDVOSB-certified.
Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
