Clinical outcomes of digital versus traditional chest drains after thoracic surgery: a narrative review of randomised trials
This narrative review analyzed high-quality trials comparing digital and traditional chest drain systems after thoracic surgery. Among five randomized studies, all reported a reduction in hospital stay by one day with digital drains, though statistical significance varied. The review highlights that digital drains are consistently associated with shorter hospital stays, but recommends appropriate statistical analysis (of time-to-event data) in future research to strengthen evidence and enable robust meta-analyses.
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