• C R Schermer, B D Matteson, G B Demarest, R M Albrecht, and V H Davis.
• Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA.
• Am. J. Surg. 1999 Jun 1; 177 (6): 480-4.

BackgroundThe time required for air leak resolution after chest trauma is not well described. Based on an institutional review of posttraumatic air leaks our hypothesis was that video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for persistent posttraumatic air leak would decrease chest tube days and length of stay compared with nonoperative management.MethodsPatients were offered VATS versus nonoperative management when air leaks persisted longer than 3 days and the patients were otherwise ready for discharge. Chest tube days and length of stay were recorded.ResultsOf 223 trauma patients requiring chest tubes, 50 had persistent air leaks, 39 of whom were otherwise ready for discharge. Twenty-five chose VATS and 14 nonoperative (NOP) treatment. The mean chest tube days was 8.1 for VATS versus 11.8 for NOP (P = 0.001). Mean length of stay was 9.7 days for VATS and 16.5 days for NOP (P = 0.002).ConclusionsIn patients otherwise ready for discharge VATS reduces chest tube days and length of stay when used to treat persistent posttraumatic air leak.

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