ABSTRACT
The video-thoracoscopic treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax currently has the same role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in abdominal surgery. The Authors consider thoracoscopic approach and traditional thoracotomy examining advantages versus disadvantages, comparing 50 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax treated by thoracoscopy, from February 1992 up to February 1995, and 50 patients, previously treated by open surgery. Video-thoracoscopy has the same percentage of recurrences of thoracotomic approach but assures a quicker functional recovery and, above all, a remarkable reduction of pain.
Subject(s)
Pneumothorax/surgery , Thoracoscopy , Thoracotomy , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Pain, Postoperative/prevention & control , Video RecordingABSTRACT
From January '92 up to January '94 thoracoscopy was performed in 51 patients with recurrent pleural effusion: 49 of these patients underwent talc pleurodesis. 10 pleural mesotheliomas, 29 diffuse metastasic pleural involvement and 12 benign effusions were diagnosed. Intrapleural talc therapy allowed a definitive pleurodesis in 43 patients with a success rate of 87%.
Subject(s)
Pleural Effusion/therapy , Pleurodesis , Talc/administration & dosage , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recurrence , ThoracoscopyABSTRACT
A case of primary leiomyosarcoma of the inter-renal vena cava is reported. This tumor is rare and up to date no more than 100 cases have been reported. Surgical treatment consisted in the removal of vena cava from the iliac veins to the suprahepatic veins with right nephrectomy. Restoration of vena cava and left renal vein continuity was not necessary because of the presence of collateral venous circulation at the time of operation. Venous ligation was haemodynamically well tolerated and the patient is disease-free at one year from operation. However, despite surgical radicality, prognosis remains poor given the frequency of metastases reported in more than 35% of cases.