[The value of routine radiography after treatment of pneumothorax]

The present study evaluates the value of a routine outpatient chest X-ray and clinical control of patients treated for pneumothorax one week after discharge from hospital. It was a retrospective study including 262 patients admitted to Frederiksberg Hospital during the 10-year period 1980-89. Follow-up was possible in 100 patients. Among these 100 there were 30 cases of recurrence in 20 patients. None of the recurrences were presented at the control. Mean time to recurrence was 23.4 months, the first recurrence was observed after one month. It is concluded that the out-patient roentgenological and clinical control one week after discharge after treatment for pneumothorax seems unnecessary.