Spontaneous pneumothorax. When and how to treat.
BACKGROUND
Spontaneous pneumothorax, whether primary or secondary, may occur in patients with or without a history of pneumonic disease.


OBJECTIVE
From 1992 to 2002, we treated 275 patients, 230 male and 45 female, in the department of Thoracic Surgery of the General Hospital of Nikaia-Piraeus. In this study the Authors report the data concerning the frequency correlated with age, sex, causes, symptoms, as well as the ways of treatment, in order to compare them and their results with those recorded in Greek and international literature.


CONCLUSIONS
It is made obvious by our material that only approximately 10% of patients suffering from spontaneous pneumothorax need surgery (thoracotomy), while the remaining patients can be managed with closed thoracic drainage or conservative treatment and monitoring.
Metaxas
Efestatious K
EK
Department of Thoracic Surgery, General State Hospital "Agios Panteleimon" of Nikaia, Piraeus, Greece.
Condilis
Nicolas
N
Tzatzadakis
Nicolas
N
Dervisoglou
Athanasios
A
Athanasiadi
Kalliope
K
Gerazounis
Michael I
MI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015505:Chest Tubes; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome