Thoracoscopy: assessment of a physician service and comparison of a flexible bronchoscope used as a thoracoscope with a rigid thoracoscope.
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.
Davidson
A C
AC
London Chest Hospital.
George
R J
RJ
Sheldon
C D
CD
Sinha
G
G
Corrin
B
B
Geddes
D M
DM
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*