HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Smulders, Y. M. Articles by Visser, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Smulders, Y. M. Articles by Visser, C. A.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 48, 540-543, Copyright © 1989 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

ARTICLES

How soon should drainage tubes be removed after cardiac operations?

YM Smulders, ME Wiepking, AC Moulijn, JJ Koolen, HB van Wezel and CA Visser
Department of Cardiopulmonary Surgery, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Pericardial effusion frequently occurs after cardiac operation. Despite its high incidence, the etiological process of postoperative pericardial effusion remains unclear. Residual blood or thrombus has often been suggested as a possible cause, implying that the occurrence of pericardial effusion could be related to the effectiveness of postoperative thoracic drainage. This possible relationship, however, has never been studied. We found that prolonging the duration of thoracic drainage by 24 hours often increases total chest tube output considerably but does not affect the incidence of postoperative pericardial effusion: approximately 55% of 100 patients in this study were shown by two-dimensional echocardiography to have pericardial effusion on the sixth postoperative day, regardless of the duration of postoperative drainage. Because of this, and because a long period of drainage causes discomfort for the patient, mechanical irritation to the heart and the pericardium, and an increased risk of infection, we recommend removing drains as soon as their efficacy has peaked, preferably on the first postoperative day.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Bjessmo, S. Hylander, J. Vedin, D. Mohlkert, and T. Ivert Comparison of three different chest drainages after coronary artery bypass surgery -- a randomised trial in 150 patients Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., March 1, 2007; 31(3): 372 - 375. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. Anegg, J. Lindenmann, V. Matzi, J. Smolle, A. Maier, and F. Smolle-Juttner Efficiency of fleece-bound sealing (TachoSil(R)) of air leaks in lung surgery: a prospective randomised trial Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., February 1, 2007; 31(2): 198 - 202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Agati, C. Mignosa, P. Gitto, E. S. Trimarchi, G. Ciccarello, D. Salvo, and G. Trimarchi A method for chest drainage after pediatric cardiac surgery: A prospective randomized trial J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., June 1, 2006; 131(6): 1306 - 1309. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Frankel, P. C. Hill, S. C. Stamou, R. C. Lowery, A. J. Pfister, A. Jain, and P. J. Corso Silastic Drains vs Conventional Chest Tubes After Coronary Artery Bypass Chest, July 1, 2003; 124(1): 108 - 113. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Salenger, J. S. Gammie, and T. J. Vander Salm Postoperative Care of Cardiac Surgical Patients Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2003; 2(2003): 439 - 469. [Full Text]

				J. A. Obney, M. J. Barnes, P. G. Lisagor, and D. J. Cohen A method for mediastinal drainage after cardiac procedures using small silastic drains Ann. Thorac. Surg., September 1, 2000; 70(3): 1109 - 1110. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]