title: Thoracoscopy in perspective.
abstract: The indications for thoracoscopy are undiagnosed pleural disease effusions of tumors; when tissue specificity is important for future treatment and adequate tissue is needed for estrogen binding studies; undiagnosed pleuropulmonary disease; biopsy of pulmonary lesions undiagnosed by other means; mediastinal masses, particularly in children; hilar masses; preoperative screening preliminary to thoracotomy for resection in malignant disease, particularly those with effusions; in spontaneous pneumothorax, to define the abnormality and indicate the need for thoracotomy; for postresection space problems; trauma, and, of course, for intrapleural pneumonolysis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D020708:Thoracoscopes; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods; D013909:Thorax / Q000601:surgery*; D014481:United States