ROUTINARY USE OF FIBRIN SEALANTS TO PREVENT PROLONGED AIR LEAK IN THORACIC SURGERT: OUR EXPERIENCE

Introduction: prolonged air leak (PAL) is one of the most common postoperative complications after lung surgery. It is associatred with increased significant morbidity, lower quality of life, longer hospital stay and higher hospital costs. Since its great clinical and economic burden, it is important to establish the feasibility and the effectiveness of the routinary preventive use of a fibrin sealant in order to reduce the incidence of prolonged air leaks. Patients and methods: this is a randomized study on 189 adult patients - 118 men (62,4%) and 71 women (37,6%) aged from 39 to 87 y.o. (mean age 68,3 y.o.) - who underwent lung surgery (lobectomy or bilobectomy) with intraoperatory detect…