Outcomes of chest drain management using only air leak (without fluid) criteria for removal after general thoracic surgery—a drainology study
This large retrospective study evaluated a chest drain removal protocol based solely on digital air leak assessment following thoracic surgery. Using a threshold of <20 mL/min for more than 6 hours, chest drains were typically removed after 1 day, with low rates of reintervention (2.1%) despite radiographic pneumothorax or pleural effusion being relatively common. These findings suggest that digital air leak criteria alone can safely guide chest drain removal in selected thoracic surgery patients, potentially simplifying postoperative drain management.
All Papers »