title: The normative distribution of chest tube drainage volume after coronary artery bypass grafting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little evidence exists to describe expected volumes of chest tube (CT) drainage after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study objective was to map the trajectory of CT drainage volumes from insertion to removal after CABG.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective, descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 239 patients who underwent CABG at a single metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample (N = 234), aged 68.7 years (standard deviation [SD] 9.9), was predominantly male (N = 185, 79.1%). The mean duration of CT insertion was 45.2 hours (SD 26.7), and total drainage volume was 1300.6 mL (SD 763.8). Drainage volumes plateau to 31 mL per hour, 8 hours after surgery. From 24 to 48 hours, the mean drainage was 21 mL per hour. Drainage volumes varied between genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence of similar drainage patterns in other populations is difficult to locate. If the pattern of drainage shown in this study is consistent, experimental intervention studies comparing standard removal time and earlier removal are recommended. If not, prospective collection of relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors across multiple sites is necessary to determine which patient or practice variations influence CT drainage patterns after CABG.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
authors.forename: Rochelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wynne
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.forename: Deana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Copley
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015505:Chest Tubes; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006876:Hydrothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome