title: [Spontaneous pneumothorax: surgical aspects].
abstract: The authors illustrate the cases of spontaneous pneumothorax observed in their institute along with the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. In accord with the experience of others as reported in the literature, they stress the importance of a precise, immediate diagnosis for the purposes of adopting the treatment of choice: in the presence of closed, partial forms a conservative approach is to be preferred, whereas in open and/or hypertensive cases an aspirative thoracic drainage must be provided without delay. Aggressive surgical treatment, with resection of the bullous lesions responsible for bronchopleural fistulas, will resolve the condition and should be implemented after a reasonable waiting period with aspirative drainage, or even, electively, in the first instance, in the presence of multiple relapses. In any event, the authors stress the need to avoid uncertainty and delay in view of the youthful age of most of the subjects affected and the potential danger of the complications of this apparently banal disease.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*
vernacular_title: Pneumotorace spontaneo: aspetti chirurgici.