Pleuroscopy in the diagnosis of pleural effusion using a fiberoptic bronchoscope

Forty patients with undiagnosed pleural effusions were investigated by pleuroscopy, using a fiberoptic bronchoscope. Pleural biopsies diagnostic of tuberculosis were obtained in 17 cases, and in 12 of these tubercle bacilli were cultured from the pleural fluid. Pleural biopsy at thoracoscopy is superior to the percutaneous intercostal route and for this purpose the fiberoptic bronchoscope is preferable to the rigid thoracoscope.