EXPERIENCES WITH THORACOSCOPIC PLEURODESIS FOR TREATMENT OF IDIOPATHIC SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX

Between January 1987 and December 1988 thoracoscopic pleurodesis has been used as a standard treatment for idiopathic spontaneous pneumothorax. Bullae were electrocoagulated, and visceral and parietal pleurae were cauterized. Chemical pleurodesis with 50% glucose-solution was added. 34 procedures were performed on 32 patients. The average hospital stay was 8 +/- 2 days. One patient suffered from postoperative Horner-syndrome. No other complications occurred. Patients were re-evaluated 11 +/- 8 months after the operation. Recurrence was found in four patients within 30 days. These patients underwent pleurectomy. Another patient had recurrence after two months. He was again and successfully treated by thoracoscopic pleurodesis. Our data show improvement of the results as compared with simple chemical pleurodesis.