Bernd Niemann , Philippe Grieshaber  |  March 28, 2025

This non‑systematic review highlights retained blood syndrome (RBS) as a clinically important complication after cardiac surgery, associated with impaired cardiac and pulmonary function, enhanced inflammation, and worse postoperative outcomes. The authors emphasize that preventing retained blood, pericardial effusions, and pleural effusions should be a priority. From a chest drain management…

Kevin W. Lobdell, Louis P. Perrault, Rachel H. Drgastin, Alessandro Brunelli, Robert J. Cerfolio, Daniel T. Engelman, ERAS Cardiac Society Working Group  |  April 9, 2024

This review introduces the concept of “Drainology” – the science of chest drain management – and highlights the significant variation in postoperative drainage practices across cardiothoracic surgery. Drawing on expert discussions from the AATS Drainology symposium and subsequent research, the authors identify chest drain management as a critical yet under‑standardized…