Surgery has remained the cornerstone of lung cancer therapy. Sleeve lobectomy, which is featured by not only the maximal resection of tumors but also the maximal preservation of functional lung parenchyma, has been proved to be a valid therapeutic option for the treatment of some centrally located lung cancer . Evidence points toward equivalent oncologic outcomes with improved survival and quality of life after sleeve resections compared with pneumonectomy. However, the postoperative morbidities and the long-term results after sleeve lobectomy remain controversial, especially in relation to nodal involvement and after induction therapy. With the development of technology, minimally invasive procedures have been performed more and more widely.
Abstract: Air leak is still a common postoperative complication after selective lobectomy. The majority of patients undergoing lobectomy have some risk factors of postoperative air leak or persistent air leak. Nowadays,preventive measures of postoperative air leak mainly include preoperative, intraoperative (surgical technique,reinforcement material,pleural cavity reduction),and postoperative (pleurodesis,chest drainage management) strategies. Many of these new measures have been applied in clinical practice with satisfactory outcomes.