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.
Marchandise
F X
FX
Pulmonary Section, Clinique de l'Europe, Brussels.
Vandenplas
O
O
Wallon
J
J
Francis
C
C
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