[Spontaneous pneumothorax: comparison of classical and video thoracoscopic therapy]

The authors present the results of treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax at the Surgical Clinic, Faculty Hospital Plzen in 1994-1996 and compare the effect of classical thoracic drainage and the videothoracoscopic procedure. During the mentioned period 64 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax were treated-28 patients by simple drainage of the pleural cavity and 36 patients by videothoracoscopic treatment with surgery of the pulmonary parenchyma and the parietal pleura resp. In the first group treatment was successful in 60%, in the second one in 83%, the ratio of complications was similar. Only one relapse was recorded after videothoracoscopic treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. Based on these results and data in the literature the authors prefer unequivocally videothoracoscopic treatment.