Financial Burden of Postoperative Adverse Events Following Lobectomy: Cost Analysis From 10 High-Volume Canadian Hospitals

Daniel G Jones, Caitlin Anstee, Kazuhiro Yasufuku, Richard Malthaner, Najib Safieddine, Christian Finley, Biniam Kidane, Danny French, Brian Johnston, Lorenzo Ferri, Andrew J E Seely  |  January 26, 2026

This multicenter Canadian study quantified the in‑hospital costs of adverse events after lobectomy. Prolonged air leak (PAL) – a key determinant of chest drain duration – accounted for over 50% of all complications and was the dominant cost driver, contributing substantially to excess hospital costs. With a mean PAL incidence of 17%, the findings highlight chest drain and air leak management as priority targets for value‑based quality improvement initiatives in lung cancer surgery.

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