Summary from symposium “Chest Drain Management in Cardiothoracic Surgery: Innovation, Outcomes, and Cost-Benefit” at the ISMICS Annual Meeting in Miami, Florida on 12 June 2026 The ISMICS symposium addressed chest drain management as an important component of postoperative care in thoracic and cardiac surgery. Discussions highlighted the limitations of traditional, largely subjective assessment methods and […]
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Summary from symposium “Delivering High‑Value Thoracic Surgery: Outcomes, Processes and Quality Improvement” at the ESTS Annual Meeting, Athens, Greece on 8 June 2026. The ESTS 2026 Lunch Symposium highlighted the challenge of translating variable chest drain practices into standardized, patient-centred care. Significant heterogeneity exists in drain size, suction use, and digital system adoption, with prolonged […]
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Summary from symposium “Advances in Air Leak Management and Drainage Systems in Pulmonary, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery” at the AATS Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL on 3 May 2026. The Medela sponsored Drainology Symposium at AATS 2026 brought together international experts in thoracic, pulmonary, and cardiac surgery to highlight how digital drainage systems and quantitative air […]
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The annual Medela ERAS, MICS & Drainology Roundtable, held during the EACTS 2025 meeting in Copenhagen and chaired by Prof. Dr. Jolanda Kluin and Prof. Dr. Evaldas Girdauskas, brought together leading cardiac surgery experts to explore the latest advances in perioperative optimization, minimally invasive techniques, and postoperative recovery pathways. The program addressed key challenges in […]
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Summary from symposium “Disrupting the Status Quo in Cardiac and Thoracic Perioperative Care” at the 61st STS Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, USA on January 24th, 2025. The focus of this session was to present and discuss novel and disruptive technology and practices in caring for postoperative cardiac and thoracic patients in order to maximize the […]
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Optimization of the Surgical Journey February 15 2025 at DGTHG 2025, the German National Meeting of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery in Hamburg. Summary by: Dr. med. Tulio Caldonazo Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, University Hospital Jena, Germany. Summary Modern cardiac surgery is evolving to meet patient expectations by prioritizing symptom relief, functional recovery, […]
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While the role of chest drain management might not always grab attention, its impact on postoperative recovery in thoracic and heart surgeries is crucial. Amongst the many benefits, effective drainage can significantly influence patient outcomes, preventing complications like retained blood syndrome, persistent air leak, chest infections and empyema. This supplement comprising of the latest and […]
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For cardiac surgeons focused on optimal patient outcomes, this episode from the ERAS Cardiac Society Podcast is essential listening. “Drainology” is redefining chest drain care practice with innovations aimed at reducing pain, complications, and recovery time. Listen to the full podcast to explore how you can integrate these groundbreaking practices into your surgical routine! Enhancing […]
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Summary of the roundtable discussion on 11 October 2024 in Lisbon, chaired by Jolanda Kluin, MD PhD, and Evaldas Girdauskas, MD PhD. The meeting started with a motivating presentation and introduction to Drainology by Kevin Lobdell (MD, LTC, MC) (System Director Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, USA). Since 2021, the science of Drainology has come […]
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The invitation to this Roundtable at the ESTS annual meeting was sent to a small exclusive group of forward-thinking surgeon-scientists to foster insightful discussion and innovation within the field of chest drain management. This event, supported by Science of Care | Medela, was a unique opportunity for the participants to engage with peers, explore the […]
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