TY - JOUR T1 - Thoracoscopy: Diagnostic and therapeutic applications JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA2498 VL - 46 IS - suppl 59 SP - PA2498 AU - Christine Costa AU - Patrícia Dionísio AU - Luís Martins AU - Salvato Feijó AU - Paula Monteiro AU - J. Rosal Gonçalves AU - Cristina Bárbara Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA2498.abstract N2 - Introduction: The technique and clinical applications of medical thoracoscopy (MT) have substantially evolved over the last decades.Aim: We sought to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic yield and safety of MT at our unit.Methods: The reports of all MT undergone from 2010 to 2014 were reviewed and analysed as regards to indication, side, endoscopic findings, procedures and immediate complications.Results: In our study, 268 patients underwent MT, 8 of which were excluded because of lost data. One hundred fifty-one patients were male (58,08%) and 109 female (41,92%) with a mean age of 55,76 ± 20,4 years. Sixty of the MT (23,08%) were diagnostic, 140 (53,84%) therapeutic and 60 (23,08%) simultaneously diagnostic and therapeutic. Undiagnosed or malignant pleural effusions were the main indications (66,92%), followed by pneumothorax (26,92%), nodules and masses (4,23%), hydropneumothorax (1,15%), abscess (0,39%) and pleural thickening (0,39%). Thoracoscopic pleural biopsies were performed in 113 patients.One hundred twenty-one (69,54%) of the pleural effusions and 68 (97,14%) of the pneumothorax were submitted to talc poudrage. No death related to thoracoscopy was registered.Conclusions: The role of medical thoracoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of pleural disease is as relevant today as it was when Jacobeus pioneered this important procedure. ER -