Impact of duration of chest tube drainage on pain after cardiac surgery

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the duration of chest tube dr ainage on pain intensity and distribution after cardiac surgery. Methods: T wo groups of 80 cardiac surgery adult patients, operated on in two differen t hospitals, by the same group of cardiac surgeons, and with similar postop erative strategies, were compared. However, in one hospital (long drainage group), a conservative policy was adopted with the removal the chest tubes by postoperative day (POD)2 or 3, while in the second hospital (short drain age group), all the drains were usually removed on POD 1. Results: There wa s a trend toward less pain in the short drainage group, with a statisticall y significant difference on POD 2 (P = 0.047). There were less patients wit hout pain on POD 3 in the long drainage group (P = 0.01). The areas corresp onding to the tract of the pleural tube, namely the epigastric area, the le ft basis of the thorax, and the left shoulder were more often involved in t he long drainage group, There were three pneumonias in each group and no pa tient required repeated drainage. Conclusions: A policy of early chest drai n ablation limits pain sensation and simplifies nursing care, without incre asing the need for repeated pleural puncture. Therefore, a policy of short drainage after cardiac surgery should be recommended. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.