[The benefits of digital chest drainage in pleural decortication in thoracic empyema. Prospective, randomized, control trial].

Background: Prolonged air leak after pleural decortication is one of the most frequent complications.

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of prolonged air leak between the digital chest drainage (DCD) system and the classic drainage system in patients with empyema class IIB or III (American Thoracic Society classification) in pleural decortication patients.

Material And Methods: A total of 37 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized control trial over one year, consisting of 2blinded groups, comparing prolonged air leak as a main outcome, the number of days until removal of chest drain, length of hospital stay and complications as secondary outcomes.