Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective

Objectives: Advances in perioperative management for thoracic surgery have accelerated the postoperative recovery of patients by decreasing postoperative pain and the incidence of complications. We aimed to study whether it's safe to remove chest drains on table in selected cases. Methods: This...

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Main Authors: Ashiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS, Aina Pons, MD, Abigail Palmares, MSc, Sarah Booth, BSc, MSc, Chiara Proli, MBBS, Paulo De Sousa, BSc, PgDip, Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:JTCVS Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666273623001237
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author Ashiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS
Aina Pons, MD
Abigail Palmares, MSc
Sarah Booth, BSc, MSc
Chiara Proli, MBBS
Paulo De Sousa, BSc, PgDip
Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th)
author_facet Ashiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS
Aina Pons, MD
Abigail Palmares, MSc
Sarah Booth, BSc, MSc
Chiara Proli, MBBS
Paulo De Sousa, BSc, PgDip
Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th)
author_sort Ashiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: Advances in perioperative management for thoracic surgery have accelerated the postoperative recovery of patients by decreasing postoperative pain and the incidence of complications. We aimed to study whether it's safe to remove chest drains on table in selected cases. Methods: This was a 5-year retrospective analysis of protocolized chest-drain removal on the operating table. The chest drain was removed in patients undergoing sublobar/wedge lung resection and other minor thoracic procedure (pleural biopsy, mediastinal mass biopsy/resection) via a thoracoscopic approach (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery). Chest drains were removed at the end of the operation if air leak as documented by the digital drain was less than 20 mL/min. Outcome data on postdrain removal pneumothorax, effusion, and need for further intervention were obtained by reviewing the postoperative chest films, all reported by a radiologist. Results: Between 2016 and 2021, 107 patients underwent drain removal in theater. Mean age (standard deviation) was 58 (17) years and 54 (50.5%) were male. Postdrain removal pneumothorax occurred in 22 patients (21%), pleural effusion in 6 (5.6%), and 21 of 22 postoperative pneumothoraces were managed conservatively without reinsertion of chest drain. As it is our standard policy to leave no pneumothorax in patients undergoing surgical management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, only 1 such patient (0.9%) had a drain reinserted as a result. The median (interquartile) length of hospital stay was 1 day (1-2), and 14 patients (13%) were discharged on surgery day. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that on table chest-drain removal in selected cases is safe and repeatable using a digital drain, challenging the practice of routine drain insertion after thoracic surgery.
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spelling doaj.art-c6f0d9c7037a423885c961a44001cca12023-12-20T07:38:02ZengElsevierJTCVS Open2666-27362023-12-0116960964Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspectiveAshiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS0Aina Pons, MD1Abigail Palmares, MSc2Sarah Booth, BSc, MSc3Chiara Proli, MBBS4Paulo De Sousa, BSc, PgDip5Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th)6Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Part of Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Academic Division of Thoracic Surgery, Imperial College and The Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Address for reprints: Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th), Academic Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney St, London SW3 6NP, United Kingdom.Objectives: Advances in perioperative management for thoracic surgery have accelerated the postoperative recovery of patients by decreasing postoperative pain and the incidence of complications. We aimed to study whether it's safe to remove chest drains on table in selected cases. Methods: This was a 5-year retrospective analysis of protocolized chest-drain removal on the operating table. The chest drain was removed in patients undergoing sublobar/wedge lung resection and other minor thoracic procedure (pleural biopsy, mediastinal mass biopsy/resection) via a thoracoscopic approach (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery). Chest drains were removed at the end of the operation if air leak as documented by the digital drain was less than 20 mL/min. Outcome data on postdrain removal pneumothorax, effusion, and need for further intervention were obtained by reviewing the postoperative chest films, all reported by a radiologist. Results: Between 2016 and 2021, 107 patients underwent drain removal in theater. Mean age (standard deviation) was 58 (17) years and 54 (50.5%) were male. Postdrain removal pneumothorax occurred in 22 patients (21%), pleural effusion in 6 (5.6%), and 21 of 22 postoperative pneumothoraces were managed conservatively without reinsertion of chest drain. As it is our standard policy to leave no pneumothorax in patients undergoing surgical management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax, only 1 such patient (0.9%) had a drain reinserted as a result. The median (interquartile) length of hospital stay was 1 day (1-2), and 14 patients (13%) were discharged on surgery day. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that on table chest-drain removal in selected cases is safe and repeatable using a digital drain, challenging the practice of routine drain insertion after thoracic surgery.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666273623001237chest drainair leakdigital drainsperioperative careenhanced recoveryenhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)
spellingShingle Ashiq Abdul Khader, MBBS, BSc, MRCS
Aina Pons, MD
Abigail Palmares, MSc
Sarah Booth, BSc, MSc
Chiara Proli, MBBS
Paulo De Sousa, BSc, PgDip
Eric Lim, MB, ChB, MD, MSc, FRCS (C-Th)
Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
JTCVS Open
chest drain
air leak
digital drains
perioperative care
enhanced recovery
enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)
title Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
title_full Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
title_fullStr Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
title_full_unstemmed Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
title_short Are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery? A drainology study of on-table chest-drain removalsCentral MessagePerspective
title_sort are chest drains routinely required after thoracic surgery a drainology study of on table chest drain removalscentral messageperspective
topic chest drain
air leak
digital drains
perioperative care
enhanced recovery
enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666273623001237
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