Postoperative management using a digital drainage system for massive air leakage after pulmonary resection

Purpose To elucidate clinical outcomes using a digital drainage system (DDS) for massive air leakage (MAL) after pulmonary resection. Methods A total of 135 consecutive patients with pulmonary resection air leakage of > 100 ml/min on the DDS were evaluated retrospectively. In this study, MAL was defined as ≥ 1000 ml/min on the DDS. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of patients with MAL compared with non-MAL (101–999 ml/min). Using the DDS data, the duration of the air leak was plotted with the Kaplan‒Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results MAL was detected in 19 (14%) patients. The proportions of heavy smokers (P = 0.04) and patients with emphysematous lung (P = 0.03) and interstitial lung disease (P < 0.01) were higher in the MAL group than in the non-MAL group. The MAL group had a higher persistence rate of air leakage at 120 h after surgery than the non-MAL group (P < 0.01) and required significantly more frequent pleurodesis (P < 0.01). Drainage failure occurred in 2 (11%) and 5 (4%) patients from the MAL and non-MAL groups, respectively. Neither reoperation nor 30-day surgical mortality was observed in patients with MAL. Conclusions MAL was able to be treated conservatively without surgery using the DDS.