Current Thoracic Surgery 2017 , Vol 2 , Issue 3
The effect of fibrin sealant spraying on prolonged air leak after pulmonary resections: a single center experience
Ulaş Kumbasar1,Yigit Yılmaz2,Mesut Melih Özercan2,Burcu Ancın2,Erkan Dikmen2,Rıza Doğan1
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
DOI : 10.26663/cts.2017.0019 Viewed : 6567 - Downloaded : 2433 Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of fibrin sealant spraying on postoperative air leak in patients undergoing pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer

Materials and Methods: Data of twenty-two patients who had undergone pulmonary resection (fibrin sealant group) were compared with a matched control cohort of nineteen patients (control group) retrospectively.

Results: Prolonged air leak was seen in fewer patients (n = 2; 10.5%) in fibrin sealant group compared to the control group (n = 4; 18.2%; p = 0.668). Apical chest tube removal time was also lower in fibrin sealant group (3 vs. 4 days; p= 0.01). Postoperative basal drain removal time, total chest tube drainage amount and intensive care unit stay time were similar between the groups (p = 0.945, p = 0.895 and p = 0.452, respectively).

Conclusions: Fibrin sealant application cannot replace an exact and precise surgical technique. However, they may be helpful particularly in small air leakages when the air leakage cannot be assured by routine surgical methods. Keywords : air leak, lung resection, fibrin sealant