Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery of Spontaneous Pneumothorax / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

We have experienced 66 cases of video assisted thoracic surgery(VATS) of spontaneous pneumothorax. The patients ranged in age from 15years to 46years(mean age, 22.3years) and male patients were sixty three. The indications of video assisted thoracic surgery of spontaneous pneumothorax were recurrence, continuous air leakage, visible blebs on the chest X-ray and others. Infraoperative findings were as follows; blebs, pleural adhesion and pleural effusion. The operation was performed under general anesthesia with double lumen endo- bronchial tube. Operative procedures included blebectomy and/or wedge resection of lung, vibramycin pleurodesis with mechanical abrasion. In most cases, postoperative courses were uneventful and patients were discharged without significant complications. VATS provided the benefits of lesser postoperative pain, rapid recovery, short hospitalization, and smaller scar of wound. Conclusively VATS is a new interesting modality of surgical treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax and also can be extensively applicable in the diagnosis and treatment of other intrathoracic disease.