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Table 3 Results for chest tube tip cultures and postoperative infections after chest tube removal

From: Diagnostic value of routine chest tube tip culture in surgery for noninfectious lung disease

Chest tube tip cultures

Postoperative infection

(n = 18)

No postoperative infection (n = 166)

Postoperative infections

SSI

(n = 4)

Pneumonia

(n = 14)

Empyema

(n = 0)

Positive

6

27

3

3

0

Negative

12

139

1

11

0

  1. The table results in the following estimates of accuracy for prediction of postoperative infections occurring after chest tube removal using a chest tube tip culture: sensitivity 33%, specificity 84%, positive predictive value 18% and negative predictive value 92%
  2. SSI, Surgical site infection