Oncological thoracic surgery comprises challenging procedures not only from a surgical point of view but also regarding the postoperative management. The most significant procedures performed for malignancy are those requiring resection of the lung, the pleura, the esophagus, mediastinal structures, the chest wall and airways. Especially after major procedures, postoperative complications occur frequently and usually require a multidisciplinary approach involving thoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pulmonologist, physiotherapists and oncologists. Thus, a proper postoperative management is as important as the surgical procedure to achieve the best outcome following surgery. In this article, we provide an overview of the basic principles for management of postoperative imaging and drain system and review the main postoperative complications following thoracic surgery, focusing also on new strategies to prevent them.
Keywords: ARDS; air leak; arrhythmia; bronchopleural fistula; complications; drain; postoperative; pulmonary embolism; respiratory failure; thoracic surgery.