[Treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax and prophylaxis of relapses (author's transl)]

This study reports the treatment of 192 consecutive cases of spontaneous pneumothorax observed in 99 patients. Relapses are frequent, but it could be shown that their number can be reduced by more aggressive therapy. Conservative treatment led to 99 % of relapses, whereas they were reduced to 32 % by continuous pleural suction, as shown in 76 cases. Pleurodesis with glucose 40 % or 50 % solution followed by continuous suction for 7 days, is advertised by the authors for every first episode of spontaneous pneumothorax. Under this treatment relapses were observed in only 19 % of the cases. If however after this treatment a recurrent pneumothorax occurs, thoracotomy has to be considered for parietal pleurectomy and occasional resection of emphysematous bullae. This procedure was successfull in all 13 cases where it had been applied.