title: [Videothoracoscopy in the surgical treatment of pneumothorax: report of 46 cases].
abstract: We report our 3-years experience with video-thoracoscopy for pneumothorax. Forty-six endoscopies (34 men, 12 women; mean age 27 +/- 9 years) were performed. Patients were under general anesthesia and intubation was selective. The conventional approach was used, with 3 incisions through which the camera and endoscopic instruments were inserted. Results were good in 39 (84.7%) patients. Pneumothorax recurred in 4 (8.7%) patients during the 3 years of follow-up. Thoracotomy was performed in 3 patients, because of lack of lung expansion in 1, persistent leak in another and encapsulated empyema in the third. Mean hospital stay after surgery was 7.3 days. Video-thoracoscopy can be considered a good therapeutic alternative to thoracotomy in the surgical treatment of patients with pneumothorax.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital de Cruces, Baracaldo, Vizcaya.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pac
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariñán
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rojo
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rumbero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014741:Video Recording
vernacular_title: Videotoracoscopia en el tratamiento quirúrgico del neumotórax: a propósito de 46 casos.