Treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax by videothoracoscopic talc pleurodesis under local anesthesia: a review of 133 procedures

Abstract

Aim: To review our experience of treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax by videothoracoscopic talc pleurodesis.

Methods: From 2000 to 2008, 124 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were operated; 105 were men (84.7%) and 19 were women (15.3%) with a mean age of 26.6 years (range 17-46 years).

Results: No mortality was recorded. Staging according to Vanderschueren's classification was as follows: stage I, 61 patients (45.9%); stage II, 39 patients (29.3%); stage III, 31 patients (23.3%); stage IV, two patients (1.5%). The overall rate of complications was 9% (12/133), corresponding to prolonged air leak in 9(6.7%) patients and hemothorax in 3(2.2%) patients. Four patients (3%) had recurrence requiring reoperation. There were no episodes of acute respiratory failure, pneumonia or subcutaneous emphysema following talc pleurodesis.

Conclusions: Thoracoscopic pleural talc pleurodesis as a treatment for recurrent pneumothorax is easy, safe, and rapid, and causes minimal morbidity and mortality.