One or more chest tubes may need to be placed into the chest cavity to drain air or fluid. This can be the result of surgery or if there is a collapsed lung. Chest tubes are often inserted to treat a tension pneumothorax or a hemothorax. A pneumothorax is when there is a lung injury, often due to trauma, and the air becomes trapped in the chest making it impossible for the lung to expand. A hemothorax is when blood is trapped in the chest due to a traumatic injury or chest surgery. In both cases, a chest tube needs to be inserted between the ribs and into the chest so that the air or fluid can be drained out and the lungs can then function as normal.