I agree with Richard. If you dont strip the tubes, or milk them, or do something, they clog off. Its unfortunate, but something has to be done. I wish there was a better way because it takes a lot of time and does not always work.
We see it every night. The patient comes back from the operating room, they are bleeding through the chest tubes, and it starts to thicken. Then we tap and strip and milk the tubes to keep them open. If you dont do it, they clog up and stop draining...