[Pneumothorax in elderly patients].
Pneumothorax is a frequent affliction with the incidence peaks in youth and old age. The disease is more frequent in males and smokers. Most of the old patients have emphysema and/ or pulmonary fibrosis as the underlying disease. They often show low respiratory function and/ or heart failure. The first step in treatment is pleural drainage to achieve pulmonary re-expansion. If it is difficult to cure by pleural drainage, we try to perform pleurodesis using the chemicals such as OK-432 and tetracycline. As the next step, we try to perform video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or operation without video. To stop smoking is important before and after operation. We reviewed about pneumothorax in old patients.
Ohira
T
T
First Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
Kato
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010844:Picibanil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018700:Pleurodesis; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013396:Suction; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D010844:Picibanil; D013752:Tetracycline