title: Thoracoscopy: assessment of a physician service and comparison of a flexible bronchoscope used as a thoracoscope with a rigid thoracoscope.
abstract: The practicality of physicians performing thoracoscopy for diagnostic purposes was assessed in 30 patients with pleural effusions of unknown cause. A rigid thoracoscope was compared with a fibreoptic bronchoscope used as a flexible thoracoscope and the diagnostic adequacy of biopsy specimens obtained with the two instruments assessed. The two instruments were inserted by a physician in the bronchoscopy suite using local anaesthesia. The procedure proved safe, acceptable, and diagnostically effective. The rigid thoracoscope proved a more satisfactory instrument but the fibreoptic bronchoscope, with minor adaptations, may be used for thoracoscopy.
authors.affiliation: London Chest Hospital.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sheldon
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corrin
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Geddes
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D020708:Thoracoscopes; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*