ObjectiveTo explore the surgical procedures for primary spontaneous pneumothorax without bullae. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 52 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax without bullae, who underwent surgical treatment in Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University between January 2008 and January 2013. There were 46 males and 6 females, with mean average age of 23.2±4.3 years (ranged from 16 to 34 years). According to the different methods of intraoperative surgery, all patients were divided into three groups. The patients in a group Ⅰ (n=20) underwent video-assisted thoracoscope (VATS) selective apex of low energy electric coagulation treatment. The patients in a group Ⅱ (n=21) underwent VATS lung tip part of lung resection. The patients in a group Ⅲ (n=11) received VATS resection of the pleura. The clinical effectiveness among the three groups was compared. ResultsCompared with other two kinds of operation schemes,the leak duration(2.61±1.89 d vs. 4.90±3.20 d vs. 5.36±2.57 d, P=0.012), postoperative chest tube drainage time (3.67±2.13 d vs. 6.00±3.73 d vs. 7.03±2.58 d, P=0.003), postoperative length of hospital stay (4.95±2.16 d vs. 7.35±3.03 d vs. 8.61±2.67 d, P=0.002) and the recurrence rate (0.0% vs. 23.1% vs. 12.5%, P=0.021) of the patients with lung tip part resection of lung tissue by VATS were significantly lower. There were no statistically significant differences in the indicators of the patients with selective apex of low energy electric coagulation by VATS and those with pleural resection by VATS (P>0.05). ConclusionLung tip part of the lung tissue resection by VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax without bullae is better than VATS selective apical low energy coagulation treatment and VATS resection of the pleura both in the short and long-term efficacy.
Objective To evaluate whether surgical intervention can be performed in initial onset of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) patients and whether pleural abrasion should be performed regularly in PSP treatment. Methods The clinical data of 326 PSP patients undergoing bullectomy or bullectomy combined with pleural abrasion (BLPA) between January 2008 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 267 males and 59 females, with a mean age of 24 years ranging from 20 to 31 years. Results The initial onset of PSP was in 229 patients, and recurrent PSP in 115 patients. Ten patients had postoperative PSP recurrence after a mean follow-up of 47 months ranging from 1 to 95 months. For the patients with initial onset of PSP, the recurrence rate was 3.1% (7/229), and that in patients with recurrent PSP was 2.6% (3/115, P=0.82). Compared with the bullectomy group (5.8%, 7/120), recurrence rate in the BLPA group was lower (1.3%, 3/224, P=0.02). There were no mortalities or significant complications in both groups. There was significant difference in body mass index (P=0.04), intraoperative adhesion (P<0.05), operation duration (P<0.01), number of bullae (P<0.01), and bullae location (P<0.01) between bullectomy and BLPA groups. Postoperative drainage (P<0.01), air leak (P=0.01) and extubation duration (P<0.01) were significantly lower in the bullectomy group. Total cost was significantly higher in the BLPA group (P<0.01). Conclusion Surgical intervention could provide satisfactory outcomes for PSP patients. Compared with bullectomy, BLPA has much lower recurrence rate, but with more drainage, longer drainage duration and higher cost.
ObjectiveTo investigate the optimal treatment scheme for the first primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in young patients.MethodsThe clinical data of 171 patients with the first PSP were retrospectively analyzed who were treated in Huaihe Hospital of Henan University between November 2011 and October 2017. There were 157 males and 14 females with a median age of 18 years at onset and a median body mass index of 18.51 kg/m2. According to the treatment methods, they were classified into two groups, a conservative treatment group (a non-surgical group, n=86) and a surgical group (n=85). The characteristics including clinical data, efficacy evaluation criteria, complications and recurrence of the two groups were analyzed.ResultsAs a result, 73.68% of the patients suffered PSP in their daily routine. The drainage duration in the non-surgical group was longer than that in the surgical group (4 d vs. 3 d, P=0.008). There was no statistical difference in the success rate of lung re-expansion between the two groups (98.85% vs. 100.00%, P=1.000). The proportion of the surgical group using postoperative analgesic drugs was higher than that in the non-surgical group (48.23% vs. 10.46%, P=0.000). The recurrence rate of the surgical group was lower than that of the non-surgical group (3.53% vs. 46.51%, P=0.000). No relationship between smoking and recurrence of pneumothorax was found in both groups (P=0.301, P=1.000). The success rate of lung re-expansion in the non-surgical group was not statistically different between the 24F subgroup and the 12F subgroup (39/39 vs. 33/34, P=0.458). No advantage of intraoperative pleural fixation was found in the surgical group (P=0.693).ConclusionThoracoscopic surgery is the first choice for the treatment of the first PSP in young patients.