Digital versus conventional chest drainage systems in resource-limited setting: a comparative analysis

Pedro Henrique Xavier Nabuco de Araújo, João Paulo Cassiano de Macedo, Paula Duarte D'Ambrosio, Paulo Manuel Pêgo-Fernandes, Ricardo Mingarini Terra  |  November 4, 2025

This propensity-matched retrospective study compared digital and conventional chest drainage following anatomical lung resection using standardized chest tube removal criteria in a resource-limited setting. No significant differences were observed in chest tube duration or hospital length of stay. However, the authors note that prior studies have demonstrated shorter drainage duration and hospitalization with digital systems, suggesting their full benefit may depend on integration with optimized, protocol-driven postoperative decision-making rather than technology alone.

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