Source: Annual Congress 2001 - Thoracoscopy
Disease area: Thoracic oncology

Abstract

Thoracoscopy is the most important diagnosis and therapeutic method for recurrent pleural effusions. We performed a retrospective study on 32 thoracoscopies done in our clinic in the period 1.01.2000 - 1.02.2001.
17 patients was male and 15 females. The age of patients ranged from 20 to 78 years (mean 56,3 years). Twenty of the pleural effusions were on the right side, eleven were on the left side and in one case was bilateral. Straw colored effusion was present in 19 cases and hemoragic in 13 cases. The surgical procedure consisted of a diagnostic thoracoscopy with drainage of pleural effusion, pleural biopsy, pleurodesis and continuos pleural drainage. All procedures were conducted through one access port. The mean duration of the procedure was 30 min. Mean chest duration was 2,7 days. Mean intrahospital stay was 6 days. There were no conversions in thoracotomy. We didn't observe intraoperative or postoperative mortality. All patients followed to 30 days had resolution of symptoms and no recurrence of effusion. In our study the talc powder (5g) was succesfully as sclerosing agent.
The primary tumor was - lung in 9 cases, breast in 7 cases, mesothelioma in 6 cases, stomach in 2 cases, ovarian 2 cases, prostate 1 case, colon 1 case and unknown primary tumor in 3 cases.
Thoracoscopy is the method of choice in the diagnostic and therapeutic pleural malignant effusions.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
C. Mitrofan, A. Arama, C. Pislariu, M. Bosinceanu, T. Mihaescu (Iasi, Romania). The value of thoracoscopy in malignant pleural effusions. Eur Respir J 2001; 16: Suppl. 31, 3483

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