Usefulness of monitoring intrapleural pressure with digital chest drainage system for the management of air leakage after lung resection.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the variation in intrapleural pressure (IPP) with and without air leakage using a digital chest drainage system (DCS) for each pressure setting.

Methods: In this retrospective single-centre study, we analysed 49,553 h of air leakage after anatomical lung resection in 714 patients between 2018 and 2020. The transition of mean IPP and mean air leak flow was monitored using DCS, and the association between mean IPP and mean air leak flow was examined. The relationship between the transition of mean IPP and air leakage according to the varying suction pressures on DCS was also investigated.

Results: Overall, 272 patients (38.1%) showed air leakage after surgery. The mean IPP in patients without air leakage was -12.0 ± 2.9 cmH2O and maintained at about -12 cmH2O constantly, while the mean IPP in patients with air leakage was -8.3 ± 1.9 cmH2O, which changed to -12 cmH2O instantly if air leakage disappeared (P < 0.001). Among patients with air leakage, the mean IPP changed more distinctly in patients with mild suction management than in those with conventional suction management (-5.0 ± 2.6 to -11.5 ± 4.2 and -8.8 ± 1.3 to -12.1 ± 2.5 cmH2O, respectively; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The change in IPP on a DCS is useful for detecting air leakage. Furthermore, management with a mild suction setting on DCS makes it easy to recognize the disappearance of postoperative air leakage.