EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDIASTINAL DRAIN MILKING IN POSTOPERATIVE CARDIAC SURGERY: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Abstract

Objectives: To verify the effectiveness of milking mediastinal drains in patients undergoing cardiac surgery in preventing hematic occlusion and postoperative complications. Method: This is a randomized, controlled, parallel, triple-blind clinical trial conducted with 80 adult patients from a public hospital in northern Brazil, allocated in a 1:1 ratio, 40 in the control group (without mediastinal drain pumping) and 40 in the intervention group (with mediastinal drain pumping). Both groups were assessed for drain occlusion, drained volume, time to drain removal, and occurrence of complications. BioEstat® 5.3 was used for data analysis, adopting a significance level of α = 0.05 and a 95 % Confidence Interval. The study followed the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trial recommendations and was registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry-REBEC (RBR-38mm3wn). Results: No cases of hematic occlusion were observed. The mean volume drained in the first 12 hours was approximately 1.5 times higher in the intervention group (355.1 ml vs. 236.6 ml p=0.0075). The mean time to drain removal was 2.8 days (SD: 0.9 days) and, in W-MDP group, 3.1 days (SD: 1.1 days). The control group had a higher rate of complications compared to the intervention group (35.0 % and 17.5 %, p=0.0005), highlighting arrhythmias (55 % and 27.5 %, p=0.0231). Conclusions: Mediastinal drain placement in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery is associated with greater drainage in the first 12 hours and a lower incidence of postoperative complications, including arrhythmias.