Sealing of the mediastinum with a local hemostyptic agent reduces chest tube duration after complete mediastinal lymph node dissection for stage I and II non-small cell lung carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
We assessed the impact of coverage of the mediastinum with a local hemostyptic agent as well as the impact of perioperative thromboembolic prophylaxis on cumulative chest drain volume and on the duration of chest tubes after surgical resection with complete mediastinal lymph node dissection for stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer.


METHODS
In a prospective, randomized two-by-two factorial design, 80 patients with clinical stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer were allocated to one of two surgical therapy arms (TachoComb or conventional surgical hemostasis) and one of two anticoagulation arms (enoxaparin 4,000 IU or dalteparin 5,000 IU). Primary end point was cumulative chest drain volume; secondary end point was duration of chest tubes. Additionally clinical data were obtained.


RESULTS
Comparison of the surgical arms revealed significantly lower cumulative chest drain volumes and thereby an earlier chest tube removal in the TachoComb group (p = 0.045). With regard to thromboembolic prophylaxis, a significantly earlier chest tube removal was found for patients treated with dalteparin (p = 0.039). Analysis of the interaction of surgical and anticoagulation treatment revealed the combined use of TachoComb and dalteparin was superior to other combinations (cumulative chest drain volumes 498 +/- 67 mL versus 1,000 +/- 88 mL, 924 +/- 87 mL, and 895 +/- 118 mL; p = 0.008; mean duration of chest tubes 1.78 +/- 0.15 days versus 2.96 +/- 0.21 days, 2.93 +/- 0.17 days, and 3.06 +/- 0.27 days; p = 0.019).


CONCLUSIONS
The combined use of a local hemostyptic agent and dalteparin seems superior as compared with other regimens of hemostasis and thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients undergoing surgical resection and complete mediastinal lymph node dissection for stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer with regard to cumulative chest drain volume as well as duration of chest tubes.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria.
Martin
M
Czerny
Tatjana
T
Fleck
Andreas
A
Salat
Daniel
D
Zimpfer
Walter
W
Klepetko
Ernst
E
Wolner
Michael Rolf
MR
Mueller
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007611:Aprotinin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D015505:Chest Tubes; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013917:Thrombin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors
D000925:Anticoagulants; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017984:Enoxaparin; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006490:Hemostatics; C093991:tachocomb; D005340:Fibrinogen; D007611:Aprotinin; D013917:Thrombin; D017985:Dalteparin