Is it safe to remove the chest tube in the operating room after robotic lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection with lymphadenectomy?
This prospective quality improvement study evaluated chest tube removal in the operating room after robotic pulmonary resection using digital air‑leak assessment. In selected patients with minimal air leak, immediate removal was feasible, with most discharged on postoperative day 1. Chest tube reinsertion was infrequent and manageable. These results suggest that digital drainage–guided, ultra‑early chest tube removal can safely accelerate recovery when combined with meticulous surgical technique.
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