Are routine, daily chest radiographs (CXR) necessary following (VATS and RATS) lobectomies?

Consensus guidelines regarding the amount and necessity of post-operative imaging in thoracic surgery are lacking. The efficacy of daily chest radiographs (CXR) following video-assisted (VATS) and robotic-assisted (RATS) thoracoscopic surgery in directing management has not been previously studied. We hypothesize that abnormal clinical findings, rather than abnormal imaging findings, better predict post-operative complications in patients undergoing VATS/RATS lobectomies. A retrospective review of VATS and RATS lobectomy patients were performed at a tertiary referral center from 1/1/2019–12/31/2021. Demographics, hospital course, and imaging were evaluated. Descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test, Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon rank sum, and multivariable logistic regression were performed. Our outcomes were post-operative complications requiring a procedure and extended length of stay (LOS) (>2 days post-operatively). Out of 362 VATS/RATS lobectomy patients, 15 patients had post-operative complications requiring a procedure. Almost all patients who required a procedure had abnormal clinical signs and symptoms (14/15; p