Abstract
Introduction: Pocket chest devices permit the ambulatory management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Data on patient outcomes is limited.
Aims: To evaluate the surgical referral for persistent air leak and complication rates at 6 months of PSP managed with a pneumostat device vs standard chest drain.
Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control analysis of patients with PSP attending St Thomas' Hospital, London between February 2013 and December 2014.
Results: 88 attendances (72 patients; median age 25 years) with PSP. Table 1. 21 patients were managed with an ambulatory drain vs 13 with standard chest drain. Complication rates were 2 (9%) vs 1 (4.5%). Surgical referral for persistent air leak 3 (13.6%) vs 3 (20%) (Fisher's exact p=0.652). Indications for ambulatory drain are shown in Table 2.
Conclusion: The low surgical referral and complication rate suggest that ambulatory management of PSP with a pocket chest device is safe. This will require further evaluation prospectively.
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