ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence of complications, duration of chest tube indwelling, and nutritional status in tuberculosis (TB) patients undergoing pulmonary surgery, and to explore perioperative nutritional management strategies and rehabilitation measures by identifying nutritional factors influencing postoperative chest tube duration. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of TB patients who underwent lobectomy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Chengdu Public Health Clinical Medical Center from 2022 to 2023. Patients were grouped based on chest tube duration (≤7 days vs. >7 days) and propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. Complications, drainage volume, and nutritional status were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with prolonged chest tube duration. ResultsAmong 276 enrolled patients, 163 had chest tube duration ≤7 days [pre-PSM: 91 males, 72 females, mean age of (34.88±14.10) years] and 113 had duration >7 days [pre-PSM: 69 males, 44 females, mean age of (39.04±13.28) years]. After PSM (45 patients per group), no significant differences were observed in pleural or pulmonary infection rates between groups (P>0.05). Univariate analysis revealed statistical differences in preoperative albumin-to-globulin ratio (A/G), 24-hour postoperative A/G, 24-hour postoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI), pre-discharge A/G, and pre-discharge hemoglobin (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression identified the following independent risk factors for prolonged chest tube duration: preoperative A/G (OR=1.72, 95%CI 1.21 to 2.45), 24-hour postoperative A/G (OR=1.58, 95%CI 1.07 to 2.33), 24-hour postoperative PNI (OR=0.89, 95%CI 0.82 to 0.97), pre-discharge A/G (OR=1.35, 95%CI 1.04 to 1.75), and pre-discharge hemoglobin (OR=0.92, 95%CI 0.86 to 0.98). ConclusionPreoperative A/G, 24-hour postoperative A/G and PNI, and pre-discharge A/G and hemoglobin significantly influence chest tube duration in TB patients. Preoperative nutritional-immunological indicators independently predict prolonged drainage, while dynamic postoperative monitoring provides comprehensive recovery assessment. Integrating these parameters enables early identification of high-risk patients, facilitates personalized drainage management, and may reduce hospitalization duration while improving prognosis.