title: [Medical thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of complicate pleural effusion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of medical thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of the pleural effusion of unknown etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of 36 patients with the pleural disease of unknown etiology diagnosed by medical thoracoscopy were retrospectively analyzed, including the pathologic results and the complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 36 patients, 35 were determined with positive rate of 97.2%, and no serious complications was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical thoracoscopy is an important method of diagnosing complicate pleural effusion, and has high positive rate. It is a simple operation, with no serious complication, and fast recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Zhong
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cheng-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hua-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Su-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013906:Thoracoscopy