RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Surgical treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax with video-assisted thoracic surgery
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 409
OP 411
DO 10.1183/09031936.97.10020409
VO 10
IS 2
A1 J Freixinet
A1 E Canalis
A1 JJ Rivas
A1 F Rodriguez de Castro
A1 J Torres
A1 JM Gimferrer
A1 J Sanchez-Lloret
YR 1997
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/2/409.abstract
AB We report the results of our experience using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) to treat primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) from January 1992 until December 1994 in a multicentered co-operative study. A total of 132 patients (110 males and 22 females, aged 13-38 yrs, mean age 26 yrs) were treated by VATS to deal with the PSP that they presented with. A standard VATS technique was used. Apical bullae were always removed, and mechanical pleural abrasion was performed, leaving a pleural drainage tube. In two cases (1.5%), a switch to thoracotomy was necessary. In eight cases (6%), air leakage persisted for 5 days after surgery, which resolved with pleural drainage. There were eight postoperative relapses (6%), which were treated with pleural drainage (n = 4), VATS (n = 3) or axillar thoracotomy (n = 1). The average postoperative stay was 5.6 days (range 2-15 days). We conclude that video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a viable alternative for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. There is, however, a high relapse rate, and in a number of cases air leakage persists in the postoperative period.