Use of Stitching and Bioabsorbable Mesh and Glue to Combat Prolonged Air Leaks.

Prolonged postoperative air leaks are associated with extended periods of postoperative hospitalization, increased hospital costs, and increased incidence of major cardiopulmonary complications. To prevent prolonged air leaks, we used small pieces of polyglycolic acid mesh as a pledget during the stitching of air leak sites. The stitched sites were then covered with mesh and fibrin glue. This novel technique showed the highest airway pressure tolerance in an ex vivo experimental study. There were no incidents of prolonged air leak among the five clinical cases in which this technique was initially applied. A large-scale study of patients with a high risk of prolonged air leak is warranted.