Pleurectomy through the triangle of auscultation for treatment of recurrent pneumothorax in younger patients. Evaluation of 60 consecutive cases
J. Nazarian, G. Down and O. J. Lau
Thoracic Surgical Unit, Brook General Hospital, London.
Sixty patients, aged 14 to 35 years, with recurrent pneumothorax were
treated with pleurectomy through the triangle of auscultation, with no
chest wall muscle transection. The advantages of this approach over a full
thoracotomy are that with no muscle transection, a shorter postoperative
recovery is expected and, subsequently, early return to normal activity is
achieved. The scar may also be more cosmetically acceptable. There was no
postoperative mortality, and only one patient required reoperation because
of bleeding. The technique is simple, and exposure is adequate. If
necessary, this limited thoracotomy can be converted to a full thoracotomy
with no difficulty.
