Thoracoscopy in the diagnosis and management of chronic pleural effusions.
Thoracoscopy was performed in 76 patients with chronic pleural effusions in which thoracocentesis and blind needle biopsy failed to reach a precise diagnosis. Analysis of thoracoscopic biopsies provided a definitive diagnosis in 53 of the 76 subjects. The diagnoses included 35 malignant diseases in which the macroscopic appearance was diagnostic in only 27 patients. Among these 76 patients, a talc dusting was performed in the management of recurrent effusion in 33 patients. No recurrence of pleural effusion was observed after 1 month in 87% and after 6 months in 76% of patients with recurrent pleural effusion. We confirm that thoracoscopy is a safe and useful technique for the diagnosis of pleural effusion which substantially decreases the necessity for diagnostic thoracotomy and that talc dusting is effective to achieve pleurodesis.
Pulmonary Section, Clinique de l'Europe, Brussels.
F X
FX
Marchandise
O
O
Vandenplas
J
J
Wallon
C
C
Francis
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D013906:Thoracoscopy