[The morphological characteristics of the changes in spontaneous pneumothorax. Thorascopic observation]

The results obtained by thoracoscopy in 58 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax for the period 1990-1992 were discussed. The distribution of the patients by sex was: male--46 (79.31%); female--12 (20.69%). The mean age was 36.5 and the most patients was between 36-45 years (37.95%). The procedure was performed under local anesthesia with neuroleptanalgesia. Right localisation of the pneumothorax we found in 67.24% and left--in 32.76% of the cases. According to the degree of the collapse of the lung the distribution was: total pneumothorax--in 72.41% and partial pneumothorax--in 27.59% of the patients. Thoracoscopy in recidivist pneumothorax was performed in 18.5% from the followed up group of patients. The most often found causes for developing of spontaneous pneumothorax are: bullous emphysema--79.31%; pleural adhesions-in 15.52% and idiopathic pneumothorax--in 5.17%.