Are Routine Chest X-rays Necessary following Thoracic Surgery? A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.
Christian GalataLorena Cascant OrtolanoSaeed ShafieiSvetlana HetjensLukas MüllerRoland H StauberDavor StamenovicEric D RoessnerIoannis KarampinisPublished in: Cancers (2022)
(1) Background: The number of chest X-rays that are performed in the perioperative window of thoracic surgery varies. Many clinics X-ray patients daily, while others only perform X-rays if there are clinical concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess the evidence of perioperative X-rays following thoracic surgery and estimate the clinical value with regard to changes in patient care. (2) Methods: A systematic literature research was conducted up until November 2021. Studies reporting X-ray outcomes in adult patients undergoing general thoracic surgery were included. (3) Results: In total, 11 studies (3841 patients/4784 X-rays) were included. The X-ray resulted in changes in patient care in 488 cases (10.74%). In patients undergoing mediastinoscopic lymphadenectomy or thoracoscopic sympathectomy, postoperative X-ray never led to changes in patient care. (4) Conclusions: There are no data to recommend an X-ray before surgery or to recommend daily X-rays. X-rays immediately after surgery seem to rarely have any consequences. It is probably reasonable to keep requesting X-rays after drain removal since they serve multiple purposes and alter patient care in 7.30% of the cases.
Keyphrases
- thoracic surgery
- patients undergoing
- high resolution
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- dual energy
- chronic kidney disease
- primary care
- systematic review
- prognostic factors
- physical activity
- cardiac surgery
- minimally invasive
- emergency department
- patient reported outcomes
- acute coronary syndrome
- type diabetes
- mass spectrometry
- metabolic syndrome
- clinical practice
- coronary artery disease
- deep learning
- atrial fibrillation
- weight loss
- patient reported
- glycemic control