Is it safe to remove the chest tube in the operating room after robotic lobectomy, segmentectomy, and wedge resection with lymphadenectomy?

Chest tubes can be safely removed in selective patients before they leave the OR after a robotic pulmonary resection with complete lymphadenectomy. Factors that may lead to these outcomes are the meticulous intraoperative technique and hemo-chylostasis. An air leak threshold of <20 mL/min may be optimal to minimize chest tube reinsertions and reduce failure rates.