To overcome the limitations imposed by traditional wall-mounted negative pressure thoracic drainage systems on postoperative lung patients’ mobility, we developed a new portable negative pressure thoracic drainage device.

The new portable negative pressure thoracic drainage device is composed of a main unit and a three-chamber closed drainage bottle. The maximum water column height of the pressure regulating chamber of the three-chamber closed drainage bottle is approximately 20 cm. The new device adopts a split structure design: using 3D printing manufacturing, the micro air pump, rechargeable power supply and noise reduction system are integrated into an independent portable main unit, which is fixed to the side wall of the three-chamber closed drainage bottle by means of strong double-sided adhesive tape.

The main unit measures 162 mm × 108 mm × 54 mm and weighs approximately 800 g. The maximum negative pressure is about 20 cmH₂O, and the noise is less than 60 decibels at a flow rate of 3 L/min. The battery life is approximately 3 to 6 hours, and the maximum flow rate is about 9 L/min. The estimated material cost for each device is about 800 RMB, and the cost of disposable consumables (three-chamber closed drainage bottle and strong double-sided tape) is about 48 RMB.

This study developed a new type of closed thoracic drainage device, which has the engineering feasibility to achieve portable negative pressure drainage. It is expected to improve the mobility of patients who need negative pressure drainage in the thoracic cavity after lung surgery, but it still needs to be verified by clinical trials.