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Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung and pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of chronic pleural effusion

Chronic pleural effusion requires pleural and lung biopsy in more than 60% of patients. Open lung biopsy was formerly considered as the most reliable diagnostic method, whereas now the procedure is mostly performed via video-assisted thoracoscopy. During the last ten-year period (1995-2005), 96 patients aged 31-72 (mean age 53) years were operated on at University Department of Thoracic Surgery, Jordanovac University Hospital for Lung Diseases by video-assisted thoracoscopy in general anesthesia. All biopses were done by clamp sampling from perietal or visceral pleura, and in 31 patients lung tissue was sampled by endostapler wedge resection. Conversion to mini-thoracotomy was needed in only 12 patients, due to massive adhesions. Histopathologic diagnosis yielding a 97% success rate. In 16 patients, drain airflow had to be prolonged to more than 5 days, while the mean drainage duration was 4 days and mean hospital stay 8 days. Video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy allows for adequate plaural and lung sampling with a high rate accuracy. Postoperative mortality and morbidity are lower in comparison with open lung biopsy. It is concluded that video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy is an efficient and safe method in the diagnosis of chronic pleural effusion.

pleural effusion; therapy; surgery; lung; lung diseases; thoracoscopy

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