title: Intraoperative techniques to prevent air leaks.
abstract: Persistent air leaks prolong chest tube duration and hospital stay after lung surgery. Air leaks also may lead to life-threatening empyemas. Preventing postoperative air leaks and BPFs is the best treatment for air-leak complications. Meticulous closure of parenchymal, pleural, and bronchial defects is the mainstay of air-leak control. The reinforcement of parenchymal suture and staple lines, pleural apposition, and well-vascularized tissue-flap coverage of bronchial suture and staple lines further reduce the incidence of prolonged air leaks and BPFs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3048, Durham, NC 27710, USA. toloz001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Toloza
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Harpole
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004285:Dogs; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000379:methods*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome