Digital chest drain in paediatric surgical patients
This quality improvement project evaluated the safety and feasibility of introducing a digital chest drain system in paediatric surgical patients. Retrospective data from 49 patients showed the digital drain was used in older and heavier children and demonstrated a trend toward shorter chest drain duration compared with underwater drainage, without a significant difference in complications. Patient and caregiver satisfaction strongly favoured digital drains. The findings support safe implementation of digital drains in paediatric practice, with larger multicentre studies needed to assess cost-effectiveness and guide protocol development.
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