[Management of Chest Drains after Elective, Thoracoscopic, Anatomical Lung Resections. A Survey in Thoracic Surgical Departments in Germany].

The postoperative hospital stay after an uncomplicated lobectomy has come down to a few days whereas the lower limit of the length of stay has been reduced to 2 days. Nevertheless, 80% of the German thoracic surgeons define a postoperative air leak as prolonged, when it lasts beyond the 5th postoperative day and 65% deal with it only after the 5th postoperative day. The available evidence on this field is limited. New prospective clinical studies are required in order to improve the management of this common complication.