The normative distribution of chest tube drainage volume after coronary artery bypass grafting

Background Little evidence exists to describe expected volumes of chest tube (CT) drainage after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Objectives The study objective was to map the trajectory of CT drainage volumes from insertion to removal after CABG. Design This was a retrospective, descriptive study. Patients The study included 239 patients who underwent CABG at a single metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Results The sample (N = 234), aged 68.7 years (standard deviation [SD] 9.9), was predominantly male (N = 185, 79.1%). The mean duration of CT insertion was 45.2 hours (SD 26.7), and total drainage volume was 1300.6 mL (SD 763.8). Drainage volumes plateau to 31 mL per hour, 8 hours after surgery. From 24 to 48 hours, the mean drainage was 21 mL per hour. Drainage volumes varied between genders. Conclusions Evidence of similar drainage patterns in other populations is difficult to locate. If the pattern of drainage shown in this study is consistent, experimental intervention studies comparing standard removal time and earlier removal are recommended. If not, prospective collection of relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors across multiple sites is necessary to determine which patient or practice variations influence CT drainage patterns after CABG.