[The role of VATS in the treatment of blunt thoracic injuries].
OBJECTIVE
Video assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) is a more and more frequently used method in the diagnosis and treatment of blunt thoracic trauma. In some cases it has diagnostic and in others therapeutic effect. The authors analyze the role of VATS in the diagnosis and the treatment of 83 patients treated with haemothorax.


METHODS
There were 83 patients treated (60 male, 23 female, mean age of 54.4 years) with haemothorax caused by blunt thoracic trauma. Chest tube drainage was used in 31 (37.3%) cases. Urgent thoracotomy was performed in only two (2.4%) cases. Elective, planned VATS was used in 11 (13.3) cases. All of these 3 were diagnostic and 8 were therapeutic procedures. In three cases rupture of the diaphragm was diagnosed with the use of VATS which were treated through thoracotomy. In the remaining 8 cases haematoma evacuation and in 3 cases intercostal artery bleeding were treated with VATS.


RESULTS
No complications related to the procedure were observed. The thoracotomy in all 3 cases verified the diaphragmatic injuries. The 8 patients undergone therapeutic VATS recovered. The mean hospital stay after VATS was 7.8 days and 11.3 days after thoracotomy in the patients with diaphragmatic injury.


CONCLUSIONS
The VATS has a significant role in the diagnosis of blunt thoracic, especially of diaphragmatic, injuries. In other cases the VATS has good therapeutic effect.
Szentkereszty
Zsolt
Z
DE OEC Sebészeti Intézet Auguszta Sebészeti Központ.
Horkai
Péter
P
Furka
Andrea
A
Sápy
Péter
P
Sz Kiss
Sándor
S
Fekete
Károly
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000601:surgery*