[The diagnosis of pleural effusion using thoracoscopy]

By analysis the results of thoracoscopy in 57 patients suffering from pleural effusion of unknown cause in the Surgical Department of Marienhospital Herne, it is clear that we can reach the exact diagnosis in 98% of these patients by this examination, which can be done in local anaesthesia with little complications. In the same time the histological examination of the tissue and the cytological examination of the effusion make the diagnosis sure and in the same time improved the complaints of the patients by removing of effusion.