BACKGROUND Persistent air leak following pulmonary lobectomy can be very difficult to treat and results in prolonged hospitalization. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a new method of postoperative air leak management using intrapleurally infused fresh frozen plasma via the chest tube. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between June 2008 and June 2014, we retrospectively reviewed 98 consecutive patients w...

OBJECTIVES Although uncommon, prolonged postoperative air leaks are a troublesome complication of lung surgery. This study was performed to determine if buttressing pulmonary staple lines would reduce air leakage at varying airway pressures, and if there was a difference between buttressing materials. METHODS Using cadaver lungs, the development of air leak from staple lines was evaluated at ...

OBJECTIVE Prolonged air leak occurs frequently after lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and can negatively affect both morbidity and hospital stay. We hypothesised that awake nonresectional LVRS could reduce the duration of air leak in emphysema patients. METHODS This analysis included 66 patients undergoing awake, unilateral plication of the most emphysematous lung regions under sole epidu...

A 10-year-old, 36-kg child with a malignant air leak who failed conventional mechanical ventilation and high-frequency jet ventilation was successfully treated with a neonatal high-frequency oscillatory ventilator for 31 days. Since the air leak resolved with minimal hemodynamic compromise, this technique may have application in the management of respiratory failure and air leak in the older an...

BACKGROUND Placing chest tubes to water seal is superior for patients with an air leak, but when a patient has a pneumothorax and an air leak the best chest tube setting is unknown. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective database on a consecutive series of patients who had a pneumothorax and air leak on the same day. Patients underwent elective pulmonary resection by one su...