[Contribution to the spontaneous pneumothorax from the surgical point of view (author's transl)]

The number of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax has increased in the last years. Above all young asthenics, often very tall, are affected. Smokers seem to be more endangered due to their cough-attacks in the morning. Beside them also patients with traumatic or iatrogen pneumothorax were more frequently seen. The therapy of the different form of pneumothorax is becoming more and more a surgical one, thus shortening the treatment time and diminishing the rate of recidives. In the first attack thorax-drainage is preferred; the second stage of therapy in the case of recidiv-pneymothorax is the thoracotomy. The so-called "idiopathic-spontaneous pneumothorax" which is to be seen in young people, is very seldom.