Active or passive chest drainage after oesophagectomy in 101 patients : a prospective randomized study

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the efficiency and safety of two methods of chest drainage after uncomplicated oesophagectomy.METHODS: A prospective randomized study between active suction drainage and passive chest drainage was carried out in 101 patients who underwent gastric pull-up oesophagectomy.RESULTS: No difference in the prevalence of pneumothorax during treatment was noted between the active (nine of 55) and the passive (four of 46) drainage groups (P=0.20). Nor was there any difference in the size (P=0.46) and duration (P=0.53) of the pneumothorax. There was no significant difference in right (P=0.84) and left (P=0.61) basal atelectases and the amounts of right (P=0.10) and left (P=0.24) pleural effusions. There were significantly more basal atelectases (P < 0.001) and pleural effusions (P