title: Thoracoscopic 360 degree apical pleurodesis with turned-over parietal pleura.
abstract: Apical pleurodesis procedures, in addition to the resection of bullae or blebs, proved to lower the recurrence rate in spontaneous pneumothoraces. Here, we describe our thoracoscopic technique of making a 360° apical pleurodesis. After resecting responsible bullae or blebs thoracoscopically, we dissect the parietal pleura off the chest wall up, turn it over on the mediastinal side, clip it on the mediastinal pleura and place the lung apex against the rough surface to promote extensive apical pleurodesis. The technique has been performed for 18 patients so far and no late recurrence of pneumothorax has been noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan mhamaji@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamaji
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kansai Electric Power Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kansai Electric Power Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohsumi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura / Q000601:surgery*; D018700:Pleurodesis / Q000379:methods*; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Pneumothorax; Thoracoscopy