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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Subcostal Specimen Removal in Completely Portal Robotic Lobectomy
Published on: April 19, 2024
Prophylactic intraoperative pneumoperitoneum decreases pleural space problems after lower lobectomy or bilobectomy of
E Okur1, Y Arisoy, V Baysungur
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. erdalokur@hotmail.com
Background:
Following lower lung lobe resection, prolonged air leaks and residual pleural space are common. We investigated whether an artificially induced prophylactic intraoperative pneumoperitoneum would prevent these complications.
Method:
Sixty patients who underwent lower lobectomy or bilobectomy were prospectively randomized into 2 groups according to the use of intraoperative pneumoperitoneum. Air was delivered via a catheter placed under the diaphragm in the pneumoperitoneum group. Parameters related to pleural drainage, complications, and hospital stay were compared.
Results:
No difference between the preoperative characteristics of both groups was present. The mean duration of chest tube drainage was shorter (3.47 +/- 1.04 days vs. 4.87 +/- 1.43 days, P < 0.001) and the mean amount of chest drainage was lower (305.0 +/- 76.9 ml vs. 488.3 +/- 215.2 ml, P < 0.001) in the pneumoperitoneum group. Residual pleural space was observed in 1 pneumoperitoneum patient (3.3 %) and in 8 controls (26.7 %). Pneumoperitoneum patients were discharged 1.1 days earlier on average than the controls.
Conclusion:
Artificial prophylactic intraoperative pneumoperitoneum is a simple and safe procedure that decreases the postoperative amount of fluid drainage, residual pleural space, duration of chest tube drainage, and hospital stay.
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