In laboratory studies comparing the PleuraFlow® system against conventional chest tubes, the results demonstrate that the innovative designs of PleuraFlow® Active Tube Clearance® System provide superior chest tube drainage results. The comparative data contributes to a persuasive case as to why PleuraFlow® Active Tube Clearance® System is more effective than traditional forms of chest tube drainage to obtain the outcomes you seek.
Study #1: Improved Drainage with Active Tube Clearance®
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This was a study comparing a 32 Fr PleuraFlow® with a 32 Fr Conventional Chest Tube.
The PleuraFlow® Active Tube Clearance® System has been tested in the laboratories at the Cleveland Clinic. In a head to head comparison with a same sized conventional chest tube in the setting of heavy bleeding, the PleuraFlow® drained far more, and significantly prevented residual hemothorax.
This data was presented at the 2009 International Socieity of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Meeting (ISMICS) and has been published: Improved Drainage with Active Tube Clearance®. Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2010;10:685-688.
Study #2: Superior Chest Drainage With an Active Tube Clearance® System: Evaluation of a Downsized Chest Tube.
This was a study comparing a 20 Fr PleuraFlow® with a 32 Fr Conventional Chest Tube. When the 20Fr. Minimally invasive PleuraFlow® system was tested against a 32 Fr conventional tube, there was superior drainage with the PleuraFlow® System. This is the first time a small diameter tube has not only been found to be equivalent in flow to a larger tube, but in fact superior.
This data was presented at the 2010 International Socieity of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Meeting (ISMICS) and published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery (Superior Chest Drainage with an Active Tube Clearance® System: Evaluation of a Downsized Chest Tube” Annals of Thoracic Surgery 91: 580-583, 2011).