Güven Sunam1, Mehmet Gök, Sami Ceran, Hasan Solak. 1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Selcuk, Göğüs Cerrahisi Anabilim Dali, 42080 Meram, Konya, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To retrospectively investigate the effectiveness of tube drainage in the treatment of bilateral pneumothorax. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 40 patients with bilateral pneumothorax treated at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Departments of Selcuk University between January 1994 and December 2000. There were 37 male and 3 female patients, aged 5-80 years (mean age, 42 years). The definite diagnosis of pneumothorax was made by radiological evaluation. In total, 38 tube drainage, 2 thoracentesis, and observation procedures were done, and some patients also required thoracotomy or median sternotomy. RESULTS: The types of pneumothorax were spontaneous in 9 patients, traumatic in 30, and iatrogenic in 1. We treated simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax in 34 patients and nonsimultaneous bilateral pneumothorax in 6 patients by tube drainage or additional surgical treatment. Two patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral pneumothorax may require extended hospital stay and could result in death. We think that tube drainage is appropriate and effective for most cases of bilateral pneumothorax.
PURPOSE: To retrospectively investigate the effectiveness of tube drainage in the treatment of bilateral pneumothorax. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 40 patients with bilateral pneumothorax treated at the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Departments of Selcuk University between January 1994 and December 2000. There were 37 male and 3 female patients, aged 5-80 years (mean age, 42 years). The definite diagnosis of pneumothorax was made by radiological evaluation. In total, 38 tube drainage, 2 thoracentesis, and observation procedures were done, and some patients also required thoracotomy or median sternotomy. RESULTS: The types of pneumothorax were spontaneous in 9 patients, traumatic in 30, and iatrogenic in 1. We treated simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax in 34 patients and nonsimultaneous bilateral pneumothorax in 6 patients by tube drainage or additional surgical treatment. Two patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral pneumothorax may require extended hospital stay and could result in death. We think that tube drainage is appropriate and effective for most cases of bilateral pneumothorax.
Authors: Frank Edwin; Lawrence Sereboe; Mark Mawutor Tettey; Ernest Aniteye; Patrick Bankah; Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng Journal: BMJ Case Rep Date: 2009-12-07