Chest Tube Insertion, Percutaneous Cost Comparison

32556 (CPT)

Cash prices (without insurance) for Chest Tube Insertion, Percutaneous (CPT 32556) range from $1,187 to $1,187 across 1 hospitals in 1 state. The national average cash price is $1,187.

A chest tube insertion is a procedure where a thin, flexible tube is placed through the skin and muscles of the chest into the space around the lungs to drain fluid, air, or blood that has accumulated there. You might need this procedure if you have a collapsed lung, fluid buildup from an infection or heart condition, or bleeding in the chest cavity. During the procedure, your doctor will clean the area, apply numbing medication, make a small opening in your chest wall, and carefully insert the tube while you remain awake or sedated depending on your situation.