A retrospective study of early removal of chest tubes after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer / 实用医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of early removal of chest tubes after video-assisted thoracoscopic (VAST) lobectomy for lung cancer. Methods A retrospective study was performed based on the clinical data of sixty consecutive patients who underwent VATS lobectomy plus mediastinal lymph nodes dissection for lung cancer from October 2013 to September 2014 in a single center. Thirty patients were enrolled into the early removal management group (chest tubes removal when the drainage volume is less than 300 mL/d), while the other thirty patients were enrolled into the traditional management group (chest tubes removal at the drainage volume less than 100 mL/d ). Results Patients who underwent early removal management had a shorter time of chest tubes removal and postoperative hospital stay compared to the patients in the traditional management group [(2.10 ± 0.99) d vs. (3.83 ± 1.41) d, t = 5.485, P = 0.000; (7.97 ± 1.54) d vs. (9.20 ± 2.01)d, t = 2.669, P = 0.010)]. No statistically significant differences were observed among the drainage volume, postoperative complications and symptoms on fifteen days post-operation. No complication occurred on thirty days post-operation. Conclusions Early removal of the chest tubes after VATS lobectomy ,when the drainage volume is less than 300 mL/d,is safe and feasible. This leads to a shorter length of hospital stay without addtional risk of early postoperative complications.