[Spontaneous pneumothorax: pleurodesis with an iodo-povidone hydroalcoholic solution].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the efficacy of an iodo-povidone hydroalcoholic solution for the chemical pleurodesis of spontaneous pneumothorax.


METHODS
A descriptive, retrospective study of 81 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. The patients were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopy and chemical pleurodesis with an iodo-povidone hydroalcoholic solution at the thoracic surgery unit of Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona (Spain) between January 1993 and December 1999.


RESULTS
Eighty-one patients, 59 men (73%) and 22 women (27%), between 14 and 82 years old (mean age 33 years) were treated. Pneumothorax was most often on the right side (43 cases, 53%). The main indications for surgery were recurrence (52 cases, 64%) and persistent air leaks (25 cases, 31%). All were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopy, with resection of the pulmonary parenchyma in 30 cases (37%) and pleural instillation of the iodo-povidone hydroalcoholic solution as the irritant in all cases. Air leaks were observed during early postoperative recovery in 10 patients (12.3%), self-limited fever in 5 (6.1%) and infection of drainage openings in 2 (2.4%). During the postoperative follow-up period of 6 to 67 months (mean 24 months), 5 recurrences (6.1%) were seen.


CONCLUSIONS
An iodo-povidone hydroalcoholic solution is easy to apply by video-assisted thoracoscopy and is highly effective for pleurodesis in cases of spontaneous pneumothorax.
Estrada Saló
G
G
Servicio de Cirugía Torácica. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Barcelona. Spain. cesarfarina@yahoo.com
Farina Ríos
C
C
Fibla Alfara
J J
JJ
Gómez Sebastián
G
G
Unzueta
M C
MC
León González
Carlos
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018700:Pleurodesis; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012996:Solutions; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D014867:Water
D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D011206:Povidone-Iodine
Neumotórax espontáneo: sínfisis pleural con solución hidroalcohólica de povidona yodada.