• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.12
• /
• pp.902-905
• /
• 2002

Pulmonary resection often leaves a pleural space problem that can cause prolonged air leaks. We describe a patient with lung cancer undergoing a right middle and lower lobectomy complicated by prolonged air leaks. He had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis and COPD. Artificial pneumoperitoneum was made by instillation of air via a small central vein catheter into the left lower quadrant on postoperative day(POD) 21. The air leak ceased on POD 23 and the chest tube was removed on POD 25.