What is the function of the drainage chamber in a chest drainage system?

• A. Receives initial inspiratory air and collects drainage.
• B. Controls the suction to the patient.
• C. Maintains the water seal.
• D. Regulates chest tube position.

Answer: (A)

The drainage chamber is the first compartment in a chest drainage system, and its job is to collect what comes from the pleural space. It serves as the reservoir for drainage such as blood or serous fluid, and it also receives any air that accompanies a pneumothorax during inspiration. The other chambers have different roles: the water-seal chamber provides a one-way barrier to prevent air from flowing back into the chest, and the suction-control chamber regulates the suction applied to the system. Securing the chest tube position is a separate task, not a function of the drainage chamber.