title: Thoracoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of thoracoabdominal stab injuries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occult diaphragmatic injuries are associated with significant mortality, if the diagnosis is delayed. We report our experience in diagnostic and therapeutic thoracoscopy in a selected group of patients with stab wounds of thoracoabdominal region.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients who underwent thoracoscopic management of thoracoabdominal stab injuries between June 2001-December 2005 were included into the study. The data were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three patients with abdominal and thoracoabdominal stab wounds underwent videoendoscopic management. Among them, eleven selected patients with thoracoabdominal stab injuries were managed by thoracoscopy. The procedures were performed under general (n=10) or local anesthesia (n=1). Diaphragmatic injuries were repaired by intracorporeal sutures in three cases and bleeding was controlled in another two cases by electrocautery coagulation. The procedures were simply diagnostic in six patients. The mean operating time and hospital stay were 35 minutes and 3.5 days respectively. There was neither intraoperative or early postoperative complication, nor mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracoscopy is a safe and efficient tool in the diagnosis and treatment of diaphragmatic stab injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. pekmezcisalih@gmail.com
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pekmezci
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaynak
authors.forename: Kaya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saribeyoğlu
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Memişoğlu
authors.forename: Taner
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurdal
authors.forename: Ece
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kol
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Erenler Kiliç
authors.forename: Bilgi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baca
authors.forename: Erhun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eyüboğlu
authors.forename: Feridun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sirin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006549:Hernia, Diaphragmatic, Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*