Evaluation of Fluid Output Threshold for Safe Chest Tube Removal - A Potential Way to Decrease Length of Stay in Hospital and to Improve Postoperative Care After Lung Surgery?

Plain-language summary

Previous studies have shown that the removal of the chest tube after lung surgery significantly improves pain symptoms and lung function. The criteria for chest tube removal still remain vague in modern thoracic surgery and rely on personal experience instead of evidence-based criteria. Every hospital has its own traditional standard fluid threshold and believes in that without adapting and comparing it not even after introduction of newer and more minimal-invasive operation technique. According to literature the traditional fluid threshold is varying from 100 to 500 or even more millilitre in 24 hours. Since pleural fluid resorption is proportional to body weight the investigators believe that a body weight related approach of chest tube management would improve safety and would allow an earlier chest tube removal without a higher rate of complication. In this way the investigators believe in improving pain management and in achieving earlier discharge of the patient.

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