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Is radiographic evaluation of the chest necessary following flank surgery?
R E Poore1, W J Sexton, L J Hart
1Department of Urology, Wake Forest University Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Purpose:
We determined whether routine postoperative chest radiography is warranted after flank surgery to assess for pneumothorax.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective study of 253 adult flank operations performed during a 6-year period was conducted.
Results:
Incidental pleurotomy occurred in 63 cases (24.9%). The performance of rib resection and the level of rib removed as well as female gender had a significant impact on this occurrence. Pleurotomy was treated by a simple evacuation technique and tube thoracostomy was not necessary. Only 2 patients (0.8%) had a postoperative pneumothorax without intraoperative recognition of pleurotomy, which resolved without intervention.
Conclusions:
Routine postoperative chest radiography to assess for pneumothorax following open flank surgery is not necessary.