title: [Wedge resection and thermal cautery for malignant pleural effusion caused by lung cancer under vats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the treatment effect of wedge resection and thermal cautery of pleura for patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) caused by lung cancer under VATS.
  
  
  METHODS
  37 patients with MPE underwent wedge resection and thermal cautery of pleura under VATS, from June 2005 to December 2008. Postoperative tumor markers level was contrasted with the preoperative, and the control rate of pleural effusion and survival rate of the patients were compared with control group, including 25 patients undergoing intrapleural chemotherapeutics in the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group, the control rate of pleural effusion was 100%, but 60% in control group (P = 0.005). The 1-year survival rate of the group and the control group was 78.38% and 60% respectively (P = 0.003). CEA and CA-125 were descended obviously in postoperative day 7 in the group(P = 0.002);in control group, there were no significant change of CEA and CA125 after treatment (P = 0.797).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wedge resection and thermal cautery of pleura under VATS can reduce tumor burden of patients with MPE to the maximum, and control MPE effectively and improve the quality of life for lung cancer patients with MPE.
authors: Department of Thoracic-cardio Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Xia
authors: Chang-hai
authors: CH
authors: Yu
authors: Yi-ming
authors: YM
authors: Zhang
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: Ying-jie
authors: YJ
authors: Li
authors: Nan-nan
authors: NN
authors: Guo