Early Pleurodesis for Postoperative Air Leak with Autologous Blood and 50% Glucose Solution

BACKGROUND: Postoperative air leaks after pulmonary resection prolong the duration of chest drainage and the length of hospital stay. One of the many treatment options is bedside pleurodesis using various agents. This study evaluated the feasibility of an early intervention to stop postoperative air leaks with either autologous blood or a 50% glucose solution. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 323 patients who underwent bedside pleurodesis between January 2017 and March 2022. Sixty-four patients received autologous blood patch pleurodesis, and 36 were treated with a 50% glucose solution after pulmonary resection. The primary endpoints were the total postoperative tube indwelling time, post-pleurodesis tube indwelling time, and hospital stay. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed. RESULTS: In the autologous blood patch pleurodesis and 50% glucose solution groups, the mean initiation timing of postoperative pleurodesis were 2.06±1.62 and 3.28±1.56 days, the mean duration of the tube indwelling time after surgery was 6.58±3.02 and 6.42±4.92 days, and the mean duration of the tube indwelling time after pleurodesis, it was 4.53±3.10 and 3.11±4.80 days, respectively. In addition, the total length of hospital stay was 9.11±5.42 and 7.83±4.75 days in the autologous blood patch pleurodesis and 50% glucose solution groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Early postoperative air leak cessation with autologous blood patch pleurodesis or 50% glucose solution pleurodesis is a feasible procedure with acceptable outcomes that effectively shortens the hospital stay.