title: Postoperative strategies to treat permanent air leaks.
abstract: Air leakage after pulmonary resections is considered the most prevalent postoperative problem, and it is often the only morbidity identified. Ideally, treatment begins with prevention; the onset of this complication should be anticipated and recognized during surgery, and intraoperative strategies should be attempted to avoid it and reduce the impact on the clinical course. Once an air leak develops, in most of the cases it seals spontaneously within 2 or 3 days of operation. When it persists, it might elicit the onset of other complications and increase costs and length of hospitalization. The postoperative approaches to a prolonged air leak include management of the pleural drainage and residual space, pleurodesis, pneumoperitoneum, endobronchial one-way valve placement, and potential reoperation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Rome SAPIENZA, V.le del Policlinico, 00161 Rome, Italy. federico.venuta@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venuta
authors.forename: Erino A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rendina
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Giacomo
authors.forename: Giorgio F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Coloni
mesh_terms: D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D018700:Pleurodesis; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011028:Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012086:Reoperation; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods