title: Management of complicated postoperative air-leak - a new indication for the Asherman chest seal.
abstract: Postoperative air-leak is a problem which is frequently encountered in thoracic surgery. We describe the utility of the Asherman chest seal, a device used in primary trauma care in the successful management of a complicated postoperative air-leak. The Asherman Chest Seal is a sterile occlusive dressing with a one-way Heimlich valve for treating open pneumothorax in acute settings. We used the Asherman chest seal in six patients from July 2001-June 2006 for management of persistent air-leak following thoracic surgical procedures. It was used in three decortication and three pleurectomy patients. There was an equal sex distribution with an age range of 24-67 years. The chest seal was used when drains fell out in the presence of air-leak or wound infection resulting in pneumothorax. All six patients had satisfactory expansion of the lungs with cessation of the air-leak. This was achieved without the pain and morbidity of a chest drain and inpatient stay. The Asherman chest seal is a simple but very useful device that has a role in management of complex air-leaks.
authors.affiliation: Regional Department of Thoracic Surgery, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East, Birmingham B9 5SS, UK. srathinam@rcsed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sridhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rathinam
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Steyn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008170:Lung Compliance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009779:Occlusive Dressings; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome