Comparison of central venous catheter thoracic drainage and traditional closed thoracic drainage following minimally invasive surgery for esophageal carcinoma: a retrospective analysis

Abstract

Objective To compare the effectiveness and safety of central venous catheter thoracic drainage (CVCTD) with traditional closed thoracic drainage (TCTD) after minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer. Methods We conducted a retrospective investigation of 103 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophageal cancer surgery at our institution between January 2017 and December 2019. Among them, 44 patients underwent CVCTD, while 59 received TCTD. We compared the following outcomes between the two cohorts: drainage volume, duration of drainage, postoperative complications (including pleural effusion, pulmonary infection, atelectasis, anastomotic leakage, etc.), length of hospital stay, and postoperative pain assessment. Results No significant differences were observed between the experimental and control groups regarding postoperative thoracic drainage, the timing of postoperative tube removal, or postoperative complications. However, significant disparities were noted in the duration of postoperative hospitalization, drainage tube healing time, and pain threshold among the esophageal cancer patients in both cohorts (p < 0.05). Conclusion CVCTD is a secure and potent alternative to TCTD following minimally invasive surgery for esophageal carcinoma. It potentially contributes to reducing the incidence of postoperative complications while curtailing the duration of hospitalization. Additional research is warranted to substantiate these findings.