Thoracoscopic vs. thoracotomy cleaning of the preural cavity in patients with thoracoabdominal wounds

Abstract

A study was performed on 32 patients with pleural cavity contamination after thoracoabdominal wounds. Sixteen patients were treated by thoracoscopic pleural cleaning while In the remaining 16 thoracotomy was employed for that purpose; thoracoscopy was easler to perform and allowed adequate cleaning of the cavity In 87.5% of the cases (81.3% in cases of thoracotomy); It requlred less operatory time (20.3 vs. 60 minutes of the thoracotomy; p < 0.01 )) and a shorter hospital stay (3.5 vs 8.1 days with thoracotomy; p < 0.01); morbidity was lower In the toracoscopy group (1 complication vs. 4 with thoracotomy but this difference was not significant; p > 0.05). In view of these results we propose the use of thoracoscopic cleaning of the pleural cavity in cases of thoracoabdominal wounds