Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To present our experience of video-assisted thoracoscopy in the treatment of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax, and to compare the results with those of a historical control group treated by lateral thoracotomy.

DESIGN:

Prospective evaluation with historical controls.

SETTING:

Teaching hospital, Italy.

SUBJECTS:

41 Patients with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax, 20 of whom were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopy and 21 of whom underwent lateral thoracotomy (historical control group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Duration of chest drainage, length of hospital stay, amount of narcotic analgesia required, postoperative complications, and recurrence during follow up.

RESULTS:

The mean (range) duration of chest drainage in the group who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopy was 5 days (4-7) compared with 7 days (4-13) in the control group; the corresponding figures for length of hospital stay were 6 days (4-8) compared with 10 days (5-16). 3 Patients (15%) in the thoracoscopy group required parenteral narcotic analgesia compared with 14 (66%) in the control group, and 2 (10%) developed minor complications compared with 5 (24%). The mean length of follow up was 9 months (range 1-18) compared with 26 months (19-34), and no patient in either group developed a recurrence.

CONCLUSION:

Our early results of treating recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax with video-assisted thoracoscopy have been encouraging, and we have adopted it in preference to lateral thoracotomy.