Abstract: Abstract： Objective To investigate the association between drainage volume and removal of chest tube after video-as⁃ sisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS) lobectomy. Methods Patients with VATS were randomly divided into three groups: the drainage volume was less than 100 mL/24 h (group A), the drainage volume was more than 100 mL/24 h but less than 200 mL/24 h(group B) and the drainage volume was more than 200 mL/24 h but less than 300 mL/24 h (group C). According to in⁃ clusion criteria and exclusion criteria, finally there were 90 patients in group A, 87 patients in group B and 83 patients in group C. The duration of chest-tube drainage, the occurrence of pulmonary infection, pulmonary atelectasis, pneumothorax, hydrothorax, seepage or delayed union after removal of chest tube, the dosage of analgesic and the length of hospital stay af⁃ ter surgery were recorded. Data were analyzed statistically. Results The average durations of chest- tube drainage were (91.76±15.59)h, (84.17±18.33)h and (56.14±12.25)h, the average morphine consumptions were (236.82±67.20)mg, (187.36± 76.64)mg and (139.29±52.74)mg, and the average lengths of hospital stay after surgery were (11.47±1.90)d, (10.68±2.50)d and (10.23±2.14)d for three groups of patients, respectively. And the indexes in group C were distinctly lower than those in group A and group B (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in pulmonary atelectasis, the occurrence of postopera⁃ tive pulmonary infection, pneumothorax, hydrothorax, seepage or delayed union after removal of chest tubes between three groups of patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion It is safe and acceptable that the removal of chest tube after VATS when the drainage volume reaches 300 mL within 24 h.

Key words: thoracoscopy, pneumonectomy, drainage, drainage volume, removal of chest tubes