TABLE 2

Randomised studies of aspiration versus thoracic drainage for initial treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax

First author [ref.]	Year	Patients n	Outcome	Aspiration	Chest drain	Difference
Harvey [94]	1994	73	Success	80	100	ND
			Hospital stay days	3.2	5.3	p=0.005
			Recurrence at 1 year	17	29	ns
Andrivet [95]	1995	61	Success	67	93	p=0.01
			Hospital stay days	7	7	ns
			Recurrence at 3 months	14	29	ns
Noppen [96]	2002	60	Immediate success	59	64	ns
			Admissions	52	100	p<0.0001
			Success at 1 week	93	85	ns
			Recurrence at 1 year	26	27	ns
Ayed [97]	2006	137	Immediate success	62	68	ns
			Success at 1 week	89	88	ns
			Recurrence at 1 year	22	24	ns
Parlak^# [98]	2012	56	Immediate success	68	81	ns
			Success at 2 weeks	100	100	ns
			Recurrence at 1 year	4	13	ns

Data are presented as percentages, unless otherwise stated. ND: not done; ns: nonsignificant. ^#: includes traumatic pneumothorax.