Lower Recurrence Rate After Surgical Treatment for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax Using a Digital Chest Drainage System

Objective: This study assessed the impact of digital chest drainage systems for patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pleurodesis for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) as compared with conventional chest drainage. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent VATS pleurodesis for PSP was conducted. The primary outcome was pneumothorax recurrence, while secondary outcomes included time to mobilization, degree of lung expansion, drainage duration, and length of hospital stay. These measures were expressed as average treatment effect and subsequently compared after propensity score adjustment. Results: In total, 125 consecutive patients over a 64-month period were analyzed, with 55 patients in the digital drainage system group and 70 patients in the conventional drainage system group. After propensity score adjustment, the use of a digital drainage system was significantly associated with earlier mobilization (−2.22 days, P < 0.001) and lower rate of recurrence (−11.2%, P = 0.049). Conclusions: The digital drainage system facilitated earlier postoperative free mobilization and resulted in lower pneumothorax recurrence rates. Visual abstract