Index of prolonged air leak score validation in case of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery anatomical lung resection: results of a nationwide study based on the French national thoracic database, EPITHOR

The IPAL (index of prolonged air leak, PAL) score was published in 2011 for open lung resections. This paper validates the score on approx. 1000 lobectomy and approx. 200 segmentectormy patients who underwent videoassisted thoracic surgery (VATS). The analysis shows a satisfactory predictive value and may be used for the estimation of the predictive risk of PAL after VATS lung resections.