Routine use of chest radiographs in the post-operative management of pectus bar removal: necessity or futility.
Pediatr Surg Int
; 33(5): 619-622, 2017 May.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28260191
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
While there is literature on techniques for pectus bar removal, there are limited reports on post-operative management. This can include obtaining a postoperative chest radiograph (CXR) despite the minimal risk of associated intra-thoracic complications. This is a review of our experience with bar removal and lack of routine post-operative CXR.METHODS:
A single institution retrospective chart review was performed from 2000 to 2015. Patients who underwent a pectus bar removal procedure were included. We assessed operative timing of bar placement and removal, procedure length, intra-operative and post-operative complications and post-operative CXR findings, specifically the rate of pneumothoraces.RESULTS:
450 patients were identified in this study. Median duration of bar placement prior to removal was 35 months (interquartile range 30 and 36 months). Sixtey-four patients obtained a post-operative CXR. Of these, only one (58%) film revealed a pneumothorax; this was not drained. A CXR was not obtained in 386 (86%) patients with no immediate or delayed complications from this practice. Median follow-up time for all patients was 11 months (interquartile range 7.5-17 months).DISCUSSION:
The risk for a clinically relevant pneumothorax is minimal following bar removal. This suggests that not obtaining routine imaging following bar removal may be a safe practice.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Cuidados Pós-Operatórios
/
Complicações Pós-Operatórias
/
Radiografia Torácica
/
Tórax em Funil
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article