Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Local Anesthetic Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion
Published on: November 10, 2023
Comparison between use of a pleural drainage system with flutter valve and a conventional water-seal drainage system
Rodrigo Caetano de Souza1, Lilianne Louise Silva de Morais2, Mario Claudio Ghefter3
1MD, MSc. Thoracic surgeon, Preceptor of the Residency Program in Thoracic Surgery, Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo (IAMSPE) Francisco Morato Oliveira, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Background:
There is still a debate regarding the most appropriate pleural collector model to ensure a short hospital stay and minimum complications.
Objectives:
To study aimed to compare the time of air leak, time to drain removal, and length of hospital stay between a standard water-seal drainage system and a pleural collector system with a unidirectional flutter valve and rigid chamber.
Design And Setting:
A randomized prospective clinical trial was conducted at a high-complexity hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.
Methods:
Sixty-three patients who underwent open or video-assisted thoracoscopic lung wedge resection or lobectomy were randomized into two groups, according to the drainage system used: the control group (WS), which used a conventional water-seal pleural collector, and the study group (V), which used a flutter valve device (Sinapi® Model XL1000®). Variables related to the drainage system, time of air leak, time to drain removal, and time spent in hospital were compared between the groups.
Results:
Most patients (63%) had lung cancer. No differences were observed between the groups in the time of air leak or time spent hospitalized. The time to drain removal was slightly shorter in the V group; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Seven patients presented with surgery-related complications: five and two in the WS and V groups, respectively.
Conclusions:
Air leak, time to drain removal, and time spent in the hospital were similar between the groups. The system used in the V group resulted in no adverse events and was safe.
Registration:
RBR-85qq6jc (https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-85qq6jc).
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