Postoperative day 1 discharge following subxiphoid thoracoscopic anatomical lung resection: a single-centre, postoperative enhanced recovery experience.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to assess the safety and quality of recovery (QOR) after discharge on postoperative day (POD) 1 following subxiphoid thoracoscopic anatomical lung resection within an advanced Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted. Characteristics, perioperative and outcome data, compliance with ERAS pathways and a home-transition QOR survey were analysed using a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS: From January 2020 to January 2022, a total of 201 consecutive patients underwent subxiphoid multiportal thoracoscopic anatomical lung resection, comprising 108 lobectomies and 93 sublobar resections (SLRs) (59 complex SLRs and 34 simple SLRs). Among them, 113 patients (56%) were discharged on POD 1, 49% after a lobectomy, 59% after a simple sublobar resection and 68% after a complex sublobar resection. In the multivariable analysis, age > 74 years and duration of the operation were associated with discharge after POD 1, whereas forced expiratory volume in 1 s and complex SLRs were associated with discharge on POD 1. Chest tube removal was achieved on POD 0 in 58 patients (29%), and 138 patients (69%) were free from a chest tube on POD 1. There were 13% with in-hospital morbidity, 10% with 90-day readmission (7% after POD 1 discharge and 14% in patients discharged after POD 1), and 0.5% with 90-day mortality. Patients discharged on POD 1 showed better compliance with the ERAS pathway with early chest tube removal and opioid-free analgesia. The home-transition QOR survey reported a better experience of returning home after discharge on POD 1 and similar pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative day 1 discharge can be safely achieved in appropriately selected patients after subxiphoid thoracoscopic anatomical lung resection, with excellent outcomes and high quality of recovery, supported by early chest tube removal as a determinant ERAS pathway.

Early chest tube removal on the 1st postoperative day protocol of an enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery programme is safe.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the safety of early chest tube removal (CTR) protocol on the 1st postoperative day (POD1) of our Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme by comparing the risk of postoperative pneumothorax, pleural and pericardial effusion requiring intervention and hospital mortality. METHODS: All consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary revascularization and/or valve surgery between 2015 and 2021 were assessed in terms of their perioperative management pathways: conventional standard of care (control group) versus standardized systematic perioperative ERAS programme including an early CTR on POD1 (ERAS group). A propensity score matching was applied. The primary end-point was a composite of postoperative pneumothorax, pleural and pericardial effusion requiring intervention and hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3153 patients were included. Propensity score analysis resulted in 2 groups well-matched pairs of 1026 patients. CTR on POD1 was significantly increased from 29.5% in the control group to 70.3% in the ERAS group (P < 0.001). The incidence of the primary end-point was 6.4% in the control group and 6.9% in the ERAS group (P = 0.658). Patients in the ERAS group, as compared with control group, had significant lower incidence of bronchopneumonia (9.0% vs 13.5%; P = 0.001) and higher incidence of mechanical ventilation ≤6 h (84.6% vs 65.2%; P < 0.001), length of intensive care unit ≤1 day (61.2% vs 50.8%; P < 0.001) and hospital ≤6 days (67.3% vs.43.2%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CTR on POD1 protocol can be safely incorporated into a standardized systematic ERAS programme, enabling early mobilization, and contributing to the improvement of postoperative outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Ethics committee of the French Society of Thoracic and Cardio-Vascular Surgery (CERC-SFCTCV-2022-09-13_23140).

Zero-leak prediction during major lung resection aiming for minimal chest drainage duration: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Early chest tube removal should be considered to enhance recovery after surgery. The current study aimed to provide a predictive algorithm for air leak episodes (ALE) and to create a knowledge base for early chest tube removal. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical pulmonary resections in our unit. We defined ALE as any airflow ≥ 10 mL/min recorded in the follow-up charts based on the digital thoracic drainage device. Multivariate regression analysis was used to control for preoperative and intraoperative confounding factors. The ALE prediction algorithm was constructed by combining an additive ALE risk-scoring system using the coefficients of the significant predictive factors with the intraoperative water-sealing test. RESULTS: In 485 consecutive thoracoscopic major pulmonary resections, ALE developed in 209 (43%) patients. Statistically significant ALE-associated preoperative factors included male sex, lower body mass index, radiologically evident emphysema, lobectomy, and upper lobe surgery. Significant ALE-associated intraoperative factors were incomplete fissure and pleural adhesion. The ALE risk scoring demonstrated an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.72 in the fivefold cross-validation test. The ALE prediction algorithm correctly predicted ALE-absent patients at a negative predictive value of 80%. CONCLUSIONS: The algorithm may promote the optimization of the chest tube-dwelling duration by identifying potential ALE-absent patients for accelerated tube removal.

Early chest tube removal regardless of drainage volume after anatomic pulmonary resection: A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of early chest tube removal after anatomic pulmonary resection, regardless of the drainage volume. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial. Patients with greater than 300 mL drainage volume during postoperative day 1 were randomly assigned to group A (tube removed on postoperative day 2) and group B (tube retained until drainage volume ≤300 mL/24 hours). The primary end point was the frequency of respiratory-related adverse events (grade 2 or higher based on the Clavien-Dindo classification) within 30 days postoperatively. RESULTS: Between April 2019 and October 2021, 175 patients were assigned to group A (N = 88) or group B (N = 87). One patient in group B who experienced chylothorax was excluded from the study. Respiratory-related adverse events were observed in 10 patients (11.4%) in group A and 12 patients (14.0%) in group B (P = .008). The frequencies of thoracentesis or chest tube reinsertion were not significantly different (8.0% and 9.3% in groups A and B, respectively, P = .752). Additionally, the duration of chest tube placement was significantly shorter in group A than in group B (median, 2 vs 3 days; P < .001). No significant difference between groups A and B was found in postoperative hospital stay (median, 6 vs 7 days, P = .231). CONCLUSIONS: Early chest tube removal, regardless of drainage volume, was safe and feasible in patients who underwent anatomic pulmonary resection.

Effectiveness of Cold Therapy for Pain and Anxiety Associated with Chest Tube Removal: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of cold therapy for pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal. DESIGN: A Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: Articles were searched from Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest, Airiti Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan. REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched from inception to August 20, 2022. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Using a random-effects model, we calculated Hedges' g and its associated confidence interval to evaluate the effects of cold therapy. Cochrane's Q test and an I2 test were used to detect heterogeneity, and moderator and meta-regression analyses were conducted to explore possible sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot, Egger's test, and trim-and-fill analysis. RESULTS: We examined 24 trials involving 1,821 patients. Cold therapy significantly reduced pain during and after chest tube removal as well as anxiety after chest tube removal (Hedges' g: -1.28, -1.27, and -1.80, respectively). Additionally, the effect size of cold therapy for reducing anxiety after chest tube removal was significantly and positively associated with that of cold therapy for reducing pain after chest tube removal. CONCLUSIONS: Cold therapy can reduce pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal.

The effect of cold application on pain during the chest tube removal: A meta-analysis.

Background: In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the effect of cold application on chest tube removal-related pain compared to conventional analgesic care. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted (PROSPERO, 2021: CRD42020179867). We searched studies in PubMed, Ovid-LWW, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Science Direct, EBSCO, Google Scholar, Medline Complete, Cochrane Library and ULAKBIM databases and grey literature for this study. We included the articles published from January 2009 to December 2019. We limited the language to Turkish and English and the design to randomized-controlled trials. All studies were reviewed by two independent researchers. Meta-analysis was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3.3 software. Heterogeneity was investigated by meta-regression. Results: A total of 2,462 records were identified, of which 16 studies were included in a random model meta-analysis. The cold application was used in combination with a pharmacological agent in six studies and alone in 13 studies. All patients were older than 16 years and they had at least one chest tube. Cold application was found to be effective in relieving pain during chest tube removal (d=-1.265). Conclusion: The use of a non-pharmacological method such as cold application is helpful to reduce pain or reduce painkiller doses during chest tube removal. Its use is recommended, as it is effective, easy to use, and cost-effective without any side effects.

Cold application for pain and anxiety reduction following chest tube removal: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of cold application on pain and anxiety reduction after chest tube removal (CTR). BACKGROUND: The act of removing the chest tube often causes pain among cardiothoracic surgery patients. Most guidelines regarding CTR do not mention pain management. The effects of cold application on reducing pain and anxiety after CTR are inconsistent. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched six databases, including Embase, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, the Index to Taiwan Periodical Literature System and Airiti Library, to identify relevant articles up to the end of February 2021. We limited the language to English and Chinese and the design to randomised controlled trials (RCTs). All studies were reviewed by two independent investigators. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risk of bias, Review Manager 5.4 was used to conduct the meta-analysis. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used for assessing certainty of evidence (CoE). RESULTS: Ten RCTs with 683 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The use of cold application could effectively reduce pain and anxiety after CTR. The subgroup showed that a skin temperature drops to 13°C of cold application was significantly more effective for the immediate reduction in pain intensity after CTR compared with control group. The GRADE methodology demonstrated that CoE was very low level. CONCLUSION: Cold application is a safe and easy-to-administer nonpharmacological method with immediate and persistent effects on pain and anxiety relief after CTR. Skin temperature drops to 13°C or lasts 20 min of cold application were more effective for immediate reduction of pain intensity following CTR. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: In addition to pharmacological strategy, cold application could be used as evidence for reducing pain intensity and anxiety level after CTR.

Early chest tube removal following single-direction versus conventional uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: A retrospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the feasibility of early chest tube removal following single-direction uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (S-UVATS) anatomical lobectomy. Methods    The clinical data of consecutive VATS lobectomy by different surgeons in Xuzhou Central Hospital between May 2019 and February 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Finally, the data of 1 084 patients were selected for analysis, including 538 males and 546 females, with a mean age of 61.0±10.1 years. These patients were divided into a S-UVATS group with 558 patients and a conventional group (C-UVATS) with 526 patients according to the surgical procedures. The perioperative parameters such as operation time, blood loss were recorded. In addition, we assessed the amount of residual pleural effusion and the probability of secondary thoracentesis when taking 300 mL/d and 450 mL/d as the threshold of chest tube removal. Results    Tumor-negative   surgical margin was achieved without mortality in this cohort. As compared with the C-UVATS group, patients in the S-UVATS group demonstrated significantly shorter operation time (P<0.001), less blood loss (P=0.002), lower rate of conversion to multiple-port VATS or thoracotomy (P=0.003), but more stations and numbers of dissected lymph nodes as well as less suture staplers (P<0.001). Moreover, patients in the S-UVATS demonstrated shorter chest tube duration, less total volume of thoracic drainage and shorter postoperative hospital stay, with statistical differences (P<0.001). After excluding patients of chylothorax and prolonged air leaks>7 d, subgroup analysis was performed. First, assuming that 300 mL/d was the threshold for chest tube removal, as compared with the C-UVATS group, patients in the S-UVATS group would report less residual pleural effusion and less necessitating second thoracentesis with residual pleural effusion>500 mL (P<0.05). Second, assuming that 450 mL/d was the threshold for chest tube removal, as compared with the C-UVATS group, the S-UVATS group would also report less residual pleural effusion and less necessitating second thoracentesis with residual pleural effusion>500 mL (P<0.05). Further multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that S-UVATS was significantly negatively related to drainage volume>1 000 mL (P<0.05); whereas combined lobectomy, longer operation time, more blood loss and air leakage were independent risk factors correlated with drainage volume>1 000 mL following UVATS lobectomy (P<0.05). Conclusion    The short-term efficacy of S-UVATS lobectomy is significantly better than that of the conventional group, indicating shorter operation time and less chest drainage. However, early chest tube removal with a high threshold of thoracic drainage volume probably increases the risk of secondary thoracentesis due to residual pleural effusion.

The process and safety of removing chest tubes 4 to 12 hours after robotic pulmonary lobectomy and segmentectomy.

Objective: Chest tubes cause pain and morbidity. Methods: This is a quality initiative study and review of patients who underwent robotic pulmonary resection by 1 surgeon (R.J.C.). The goal was to remove chest tubes within 4 to 12 hours after robotic segmentectomy and lobectomy. Primary outcome was removal without the need for reinsertion, thoracentesis, or any morbidity due to early removal of the chest tube. Secondary outcomes were symptomatic pneumothorax, pleural effusion, chylothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and chest tube reinsertion or thoracentesis within 60 days of surgery. Results: Between January 2018 and December 2022, 590 patients underwent robotic lobectomy or segmentectomy. Chest tubes were removed within 4 to 12 hours postoperatively in 63.5% of patients (375/590). In 2022, this was achieved in 91% after lobectomy (119/128) and 94% after segmentectomy (75/80). There were significantly more chest tubes removed within 4 to 12 hours postoperatively from 2020 to 2022 than pre-2020 (P < .001). Forty patients (6.8%) were discharged home on postoperative day 1 with a chest tube. Sixteen patients (2.7%) had post-chest tube removal increasing pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema; none required tube reinsertion. There was no 30-day or 90-day mortality. Twelve patients (2%) had an outpatient thoracentesis for effusion within 60 days. Twenty patients (3.3%) were readmitted, none seemingly related to effusions. Nonsmokers (P = .04) and segmentectomy (P = .001) were associated with chest tube removal within 4 to 12 hours of surgery. Conclusions: Chest tubes can be safely removed within 4 to 12 hours after robotic segmentectomy and lobectomy. Factors associated with successful early chest tube removal are nonsmoking, segmentectomy, and team members becoming comfortable with the process.

Are routine chest X-rays following chest tube removal necessary in asymptomatic pediatric patients?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if routine chest X-rays (CXRs) performed after chest tube (CT) removal in pediatric patients provide additional benefit for clinical management compared to observation of symptoms alone. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted of inpatients, 18 years or younger, who had a CT managed by the pediatric surgery team between July 2017 and May 2019. The study compared two groups: (1) patients who received a post-pull CXR and (2) those who did not. The primary outcome of the study was the need for intervention after CT removal. RESULTS: 102 patients had 116 CTs and met inclusion criteria; 79 post-pull CXRs were performed; the remaining 37 CT pulls did not have a follow-up CXR. No patients required CT replacement or surgery in the absence of symptoms. Three patients exhibited clinical symptoms that would have prompted intervention regardless of post-pull CXR results. One patient had an intervention guided by post-pull CXR results alone. Meanwhile, another patient had delayed onset of symptoms and intervention. No patients required an intervention in the group that did not have a post-pull CXR. CONCLUSION: Chest X-ray after CT removal had a very low yield for changing clinical management of asymptomatic patients. Clinical symptoms predict the need for an intervention.

Effect of different cold application materials on pain during chest tube removal: three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Chest tube causes severe pain during removal because it attaches to the endothelium in the chest cavity. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of cold application with ice pack and gel pad in the control of pain experienced during chest tube removal. METHODS: The sample of prospective, parallel three-arm (1:1:1), randomized controlled clinical trial consisted of 180 patients in two experimental groups (ice pack/gel pad) and one control group. The primary outcome was effect of cold application materials on severity of pain during chest removal. Secondary outcomes were duration of cold application and analgesic requirements of the patients. RESULTS: The study found that the cold application using either of the materials reduced the severity of pain and the need for analgesics after the removal of chest tube compared to the control group (p<0.05). But cold application with ice pack allowed the skin to drop to the temperature effective in pain control in a shorter time than gel pad application (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite entirely covering the area around the chest tube, the gel pad was more disadvantageous than ice pack in pain control due to the longer duration of cold application.

Effect of Spiritual Care on Chest Tube Removal Anxiety and Pain in Heart Surgery in Muslim Patients (Shia and Sunni).

The process of removal of a chest tube can cause pain and anxiety. Spiritual care can be considered as a component of nursing care, especially in the pain and anxiety relating to such procedures. This study was a randomized clinical trial. Eighty patients completed the study. The findings showed significant differences in anxiety and pain between groups (p = 0.001). Spiritual care reduced anxiety and pain caused by chest tube removal in patients (Shia and Sunni Islam) undergoing heart surgery.

Pleural Pressure Differences Before Removal Are Greater in Patients Who Develop Residual Pneumothorax Post Chest Drain Removal.

Aim of study: We aimed to investigate whether the difference in pleural pressures (ΔP) is wider among patients who develop a residual pneumothorax after chest tube removal following lung resection surgery. Materials and methods: Ninety-eight patients who underwent lung resection were included in the study over a period of 12 months. The ΔP prior to chest tube removal in patients who developed a residual pneumothorax after chest tube removal was compared with that of patients who did not develop this complication. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify cutoff values of ΔP for the prediction of residual pneumothorax. Logistic regression analysis was used to formulate a prediction model for the occurrence of residual pneumothorax based on ΔP. Results: Thirteen patients who developed a residual pneumothorax were compared with 85 patients without this complication. The ΔP in the residual pneumothorax group was significantly higher (10.8 versus 4.2 cm H2O, p < 0.01). The ΔP in patients who required intervention was also significantly higher (14.8 versus 4.2 cm H2O, p < 0.01). A ΔP cutoff value of 8 cm H2O was predictive of the occurrence of residual pneumothorax (sensitivity 85.6%, specificity 84.6%) and a value of 12 cm H2O was predictive of intervention (sensitivity 84%, specificity 85%). Increasing ΔP was an independent predictor of the occurrence of residual pneumothorax (p = 0.008) on the multivariate logistic regression model. Conclusion: Patients with wide ΔP before chest drain removal may be complicated with residual pneumothorax.

Multicenter randomized study on the comparison between electronic and traditional chest drainage systems.

BACKGROUND: In patients submitted to major pulmonary resection, the postoperative length of stay is mainly influenced by the duration of air leaks and chest tube removal. The measurement of air leaks largely relies on traditional chest drainage systems which are prone to subjective interpretation. Difficulty in differentiating between active air leaks and bubbles due to a pleural space effect may also lead to tentative drain clamping and prolonged time for chest drain removal. New digital systems allow continuous monitoring of air leaks, identifying subtle leakage that may be not visible during daily patient evaluation. Moreover, an objective assessment of air leaks may lead to a reduced interobserver variability and to an optimized timing for chest tube removal. METHODS: This study is a prospective randomized, interventional, multicenter trial designed to compare an electronic chest drainage system (Drentech™ Palm Evo) with a traditional system (Drentech™ Compact) in a cohort of patients undergoing pulmonary lobectomy through a standard three-port video-assisted thoracic surgery approach for both benign and malignant disease. The study will enroll 382 patients in three Italian centers. The duration of chest drainage and the length of hospital stay will be evaluated in the two groups. Moreover, the study will evaluate whether the use of a digital chest system compared with a traditional system reduces the interobserver variability. Finally, it will evaluate whether the digital drain system may help in distinguishing an active air leak from a pleural space effect, by the digital assessment of intrapleural differential pressure, and in identifying potential predictors of prolonged air leaks. DISCUSSION: To date, few studies have been performed to evaluate the clinical impact of digital drainage systems. The proposed prospective randomized trial will provide new knowledge to this research area by investigating and comparing the difference between digital and traditional chest drain systems. In particular, the objectives of this project are to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of digital chest drainages and to provide new tools to identify patients at higher risk of developing prolonged air leaks. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03536130. Retrospectively registered on 24 May 2018.

Early chest tube removal after surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety and validity of early chest tube removal after bullectomy for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). METHODS: Between January 2005 and July 2018, 123 cases of thoracoscopic surgery for PSP were reviewed. The principle procedure was bullectomy accompanied by mechanical and chemical pleurodesis. Approximately 4 h after surgery, we confirmed patients' sufficient recovery from anesthesia and investigated the presence of air leak in a sitting position. Chest tubes were removed on the same day as the surgery if there was no air leak or bloody drainage observed. Postoperative complications and factors that prevented early chest tube removal were analyzed by comparing the early removal group and the remaining tube group. RESULTS: Chest tubes could be removed on the day of the surgery in 105 cases (85.4%). There were 7 cases (5.7%) in which chest tubes could be removed because air leak was not detected after patients' recovery despite intraoperative detection of minor air leak from the resection stump. No patients required chest tube reinsertion during their hospital stay. The mean length of postoperative hospital stay was 1.1 ± 0.5 days. In a logistic regression analysis, surgical history of ipsilateral PSP was independently and significantly associated with the prevention of early chest tube removal. CONCLUSIONS: Chest tube removal on the day of surgery for PSP appears to be safe when air leak examination can be performed after sufficient recovery from anesthesia.

The timing of chest tube removal after resection of the lung or esophageal cancer: A randomized controlled study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To evaluate the timing of chest tube removal after resection of lung or esophageal cancer. Methods    A prospective randomized controlled study was performed. From June 2014 to February 2016, 150 patients suspected as the cancer of lung or esophagus undergoing neoplasm resection and lymph node dissection in our single medical unit were classified into 3 groups according to the random number generated by SPSS17.0 with 50 patients in the each group. The drainage volume for chest tube removal was ≤100 mL/d in the group Ⅰ, 101–200 mL/d in the group Ⅱ, and 201–300 mL/d in the group Ⅲ. Chest radiography was performed 48 hours following chest tube removal. Results    The 127 patients (108 males and 19 females, with an average age of 59.0±8.7 years) eligible for analysis consisted of 45 patients in the group Ⅰ, 41 in the group Ⅱ, and 41 in the group Ⅲ respectively after the 23 patients were excluded from this study who were diagnosed as benign lesions through intraoperative frozen pathology (n=20) and postoperative complications (empyema in 2 patients and chylothorax in 1 patient). Age, sex, types of neoplasm, and comorbidities except procedures via video-assisted thoracic surgery (and laparoscopy) showed no significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). No mortality was observed in this study. There were postoperative complications in 6 patients and its distribution had no statistical differences among the three groups (P>0.05). The mean postoperative duration of chest tube was 181.0±68.2 h, 111.0±63.1 h, 76.0±37.2 h, the mean drainage volume was 1 413.0±500.9 mL, 1 005.0±686.4 mL, 776.0±505.8 mL, and the mean hospital stay time following chest tube removal was 19.0±9.7 d, 14.0±8.0 d, 9.0±4.8 d in the group Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ,  respectively; there was a significant difference among the three groups (P=0.000). The 13 patients required reintervention after chest tube removal due to pleural effusion accumulation and it had no difference among the three groups (P>0.05). Chest pain relieved essentially after chest tube removal in all patients. Conclusion    A drainage volume of ≤300 mL/d as a threshold for chest tube removal after resection of lung or esophageal cancer can shorten postoperative hospital stay and accelerate early recovery of the patients.

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation for pain relief during chest tube removal following cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In patients undergoing open heart surgery, chest tubes are removed postoperatively when patients are well awake and stable. Pain during chest tube removal can be moderate to severe and can be the worst experience of hospitalization. Various modalities of pain relief during chest tube removal have been tried with variable results. We sought to examine the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as an intervention for pain relief during chest tube removal after cardiac surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a tertiary care center, fifty patients undergoing open heart surgery were randomized into two groups. Group TENS (n = 25) received TENS from 30 min before and continued up to 30 min after chest tube removal. Control Group (n = 25) did not receive TENS. In both the groups, additional analgesic medication was provided on demand, besides the standard analgesic regime which was injection ketorolac 30 mg intramuscularly every 8 h. Patients were studied for pain during chest drain removal and pain related nausea, vomiting, and sense of well-being. RESULTS: Mean visual analog pain score assessed for chest tube removal was significantly less 4.1 ± 1.2 (P < 0.05) in TENS Group as compared to 6.1 ± 0.8 in Control Group. Significantly greater number of patients (n = 14) (P < 0.05) in Control Group demanded additional analgesia as compared to TENS Group (n = 5). Feeling of well-being, improvement in appetite, and sleep was better in TENS Group as compared to Control Group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that TENS might not replace the conventional analgesics but has definite adjuvant role in decreasing pain scores and improves sense of well-being during chest tube removal after cardiac surgery.

Is a Chest Radiograph Required After Removal of Chest Tubes in Children?

Our objective was to determine the clinical value of obtaining a chest radiograph after removal of a chest tube. We conducted a retrospective chart review of pediatric general surgical patients with a chest tube in place after a thoracic procedure over a 3-year time period. Postremoval films were considered to be of value if they led to a change in clinical management. Of 468 patients who had a thoracic procedure, 281 patients had a chest tube and a postremoval film. In 263 patients (93.6%) there was no change in the postremoval film result compared with baseline. Only two patients (0.7%) required an intervention based on symptoms, not based on the postremoval film. Eliminating routine postremoval radiographs after chest tube removal in pediatric patients will lessen radiation exposure and provide cost savings with no adverse impact on outcome.

Early chest tube removal following cardiac surgery is associated with pleural and/or pericardial effusions requiring invasive treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Different opinions exist as to when chest tube removal should be performed following cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to compare early chest tube removal with removal of the tubes in the morning day 1 postoperatively. Primary combined end point was the risk of postoperative accumulation of fluid in the pericardial and/or pleural cavities requiring invasive treatment. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study was performed among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and/or conventional valve surgery between July 2010 and June 2013. Patients in whom chest tube output was <150 ml around midnight during the last 4 h were included in the study. These patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 had their chest tubes removed around midnight on the day of surgery, whereas Group 2 kept their tubes until next morning. Using Poisson regression, we estimated crude and adjusted relative risks (RRs) for developing postoperative pleural and/or pericardial effusion within 14 days requiring interventional treatment. RESULTS: A total of 1232 patients underwent CABG, conventional valve or combined surgery during the study period. Of these, 782 patients fulfilled the criteria for early chest tube removal, which was performed in 385 of the patients. A total of 76 patients in Group 1 (20%) and 51 patients in Group 2 (13%) developed postoperative pleural and/or pericardial effusions requiring invasive treatment (P = 0.011). A positive association between early chest tube removal and the development of pleural and/or pericardial effusions was seen [crude RR: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.11-2.13); adjusted RR: 1.70 (95% CI: 1.24-2.33)]. The association became stronger investigating pleural effusions alone (adjusted RR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.27-2.46), whereas the association with pericardial effusions was less clear. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of all chest tubes around midnight on the day of surgery is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pleural and/or pericardial effusions requiring invasive treatment even if chest tube output during the last 4 h is <150 ml compared with removal of the tubes next morning.