| Author/Editor | Debeljak, A; Kecelj, P; Kern, I; Vidmar, S; Rott, T | |
| Title | Medical thoracoscopy: experience with 212 patients | |
| Type | članek | |
| Source | J Balk Union Oncol | |
| Vol. and No. | Letnik 5 | |
| Publication year | 2000 | |
| Volume | str. 169-72 | |
| Language | slo | |
| Abstract | Purpose: Medical thoracoscopy improves considerably the diagnostics of pleural diseases. It can be applied when the non-invasive procedures fail. The aim of this retrospective study was to find out both the diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness of medical thoracoscopy performed in the last 14 years at Hospital Golnik. Patients and methods: Patients in whom less invasive diagnostic procedures had failed were analysed. In the first 5 years, general anaesthesia and later only fentanyl and local anaesthesia with lidocaine were used. Storz rigid thoracoscope and videothoracoscope Olympus were used. Pleurodesis was performed by insufflation of 3-5 g of talc. Results: In 200 (94%) out of 212 patients included in the study, thoracoscopy clarified the disease. Among 117 patients with neoplasias, malignant infiltration of the pleura was confirmed in 101 (85%) of them. In patients with malignant diseases the sensitivity reached 95%. In 26 patients with lung cancer and pleural effusion thoracoscopy revealed no malignant pleural infiltration in 15 of them. Nine (35%) of them were successfully operated. Pleurodesis was carried out with tals insufflation in 45 patients with malignant pleural effusion, in 3 with benign pleural effusion and in 6 patients with recurrent pneumothorax. Immediate success was achieved in 43 (80%) cases. The most frequent complications were subcutaneous emphysema (n=24) and pain after tals insufflation (n=15). The most serious complications were bronchopleural fistula (=12) and trapped lung (n=5). Conslusions: Medical thoracoscopy improves the diagnostics of pleural, especially malignant, diseases and facilitates successful pleurodesis. Thoracoscopy should not be performed in patients in whom the lung can not expand. | |
| Descriptors | THORACOSCOPY PLEURAL DISEASES LUNG NEOPLASMS PLEURODESIS PLEURAL EFFUSION, MALIGNANT RETROSPECTIVE STUDIES |