Outpatient Chest Tube Management Following Thoracic Resection Improves Patient Length of Stay and Satisfaction Without Compromising Outcomes

Alliance of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Pneumothorax; Lung Cancer; Subcutaneous Emphysema

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01551082

MEM Chest tube study

Details and patient eligibility

About

Discharging patients home with air leak and chest tube to portable drainage device after thoracic resection is cost effective and safe without compromising patients outcome or satisfaction. Despite good outcomes this practice is not done universally by thoracic surgeons.

Full description

Medical chart database to identify patients ,of one thoracic surgeon over the last seven years, who underwent thoracic resection and were discharged home with an air leak and chest tube to portable drainage device was completed. Once all patients were identified, all possible vulnerable patients were discarded. Written consent for participation was obtained by eligible patients and subjects willing to participate were given further explanation of the study. All willing participants completed an Outpatient Chest Tube Quality of Life Questionnaire. Upon completion of the questionnaire participants involvement in the study was complete. Data was collected and correlations between variables statistically analysed to determine significant factors affecting care.

Enrollment: 12 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 89 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• all patients 18-89,
• all genders,
• all patients undergoing thoracic resection,
• all patients discharged with chest tube

Exclusion criteria

• minors,
• all patients > 90 years old,
• all mentally challenged,
• all non-English speaking patients

Trial design

12 participants in 1 patient group

Outpatient chest tubes

Description:

All patients, mixed gender, race, and age, who underwent thoracic resection by one surgeon over the past seven years and discharged home with air leak present and chest tube to portable drainage device.