Prospective Study to Evaluate the Role of Protocol-Based Management of Chest Tubes in Patients Undergoing Elective Thoracic Surgery

Intercostal chest tube (ICD) management has been mostly determined by personal experience of surgeons and prevailing local practices rather than a scientifically validated protocol. This study was done to evaluate the impact of protocol-based management of chest tubes in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgeries. This was a prospective observational study conducted from June 2016 to March 2018 at a tertiary care hospital to study the impact of algorithmic management of chest tubes in patients undergoing non-pneumonectomy elective thoracic surgery. A preformed algorithm was followed in all the patients. Chest tube was removed if all the criteria for chest tube removal were met, i.e., stable patient, no air leak, drainage