title: Thoracoscopic surgical treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax: selection of surgical therapy according to thoracoscopic findings.
abstract: We report our experience with thoracoscopy used for the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax and idiopathic emphysematous bullae. Fifty-one patients with pneumothorax were admitted to the hospital and received a pleurography and CT scanning before thoracoscopy. End-GIA resection or end-loop ligation were used alone or in combination, with or without laser coagulation. Only one patient developed recurrent pneumothorax, whereas another required repeated resection. Our results indicate that surgical treatment of pneumothorax using thoracoscopy results in a rapid expansion of the lung, minimum postoperative pain, early hospital discharge, and return of normal activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery Sasebo Chuo Hospital 4-5, Tonoo Cho Nagasaki Sasebo 857 Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jibiki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikari
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawabe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunizaki