CONCLUSION
This study suggests that needle decompression with
a standard 4.4-cm angiocatheter is likely to be unsuccessful
in 50% or more of trauma patients on the basis
of body habitus. Female patients on average have
thicker chest walls, perhaps calling for a longer needle
for decompression than their male counterparts. In
light of the low predicted success based on chest wall
thickness, the standard method for treatment of tension
pneumothorax by prehospital personnel deserves
further consideration.