Effect of Stapler Booster on Post-operative Air Leakage in the Surgical Treatment of Bullous Lung Disease

Abstract

Objective:Prolonged air leakage is a major complication of operations for bullous lung disease. This study aimed to investigate the effect of using buttressed staple lines on post-operative air leakage in patients who underwent bullous lung disease (BLD) surgery by comparing the use and non-use of buttressed staple lines.Methods:This single-institution study included patients who underwent thoracotomy because of BLD between 2007 and 2015. Patients were retrospectively reviewed for demographic variables, operation technique, buttressed staple line usage and type and postoperative air leakage duration.Results:We analysed 49 patients [44 (89%) men], with a mean age of 59 years. Of patients, 97.9% (n=48) had wedge resection, and 2.1% (n=1) had lobectomy. In 44% (n=22), a buttressed staple line was used. Autografts (bulla wall) were used as buttressed staple lines in 54.5% (n=12) and synthetic polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in 45.5% (n=10) of cases. The mean post-operative air leakage duration was 7±3 days in the buttressed staple line group and 8±6 days in cases without booster. Prolonged air leakage was seen in 3 patients (27%) in the buttressed staple line group and 11 (25%) in the no booster group. There was no difference between the presence and absence of booster and between organic and synthetic graft usage.Conclusion:We concluded that the use of buttressed staple lines (autograft or synthetic graft) did not create a statistically significant difference in post-operative air leakage duration when compared with patients without booster.

Keywords

• lung diseases
• lung injury
• lung volume measurements