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Clinical-therapeutic management of thoracoscopy in pleural effusion: a groundbreaking technique in the twenty-first century

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Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of non-affiliated pleural effusions (PE).

Material and methods

A five-year prospective study including data from 110 patients that were clinically diagnosed as benign (14.5%), malign (34.5%) and non-affiliated (50.9%). PE in patents without oncology disease and negative biopsy or cytology were considered as benign. Malignant diagnosis was established according to a pleural biopsy, compatible cytology and/or clinical features. Remaining cases were considered as non-affiliated. Thoracoscopy was done under local anaesthesia and sedation.

Results

Thoracoscopy confirmed previous clinical diagnosis of benignity and malignity. Regarding non-affiliated patients, 30.35% were diagnosed after thoracoscopy as unspecific pleuritis, 17.86% mesothelioma and 1.79% pleural tuberculosis (TBC). The other 48.21% of patients reported as non-affiliated were diagnosed with pleural carcinoma. Statistical analysis did not reveal differences between frequencies analysed.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that thoracoscopy is a cost-effective and reliable technique for obtaining histological diagnosis in PE and also allows a directed pleurodesis if indicated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thoracic Surgery Service, General University Hospital of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    José Marcelo Galbis, Ricardo Guijarro, Salvador Figueroa & Antonio Arnau

  2. Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    José Marcelo Galbis, Ricardo Guijarro & Antonio Arnau

  3. Research Foundation, General University Hospital of Valencia, Avda. Tres Cruces, 2, ES-46014, Valencia, Spain

    Manuel Mata

  4. Anaesthesia, Resuscitation and Pain Treatment, University Hospital of La Ribera, Alcira, Valencia, Spain

    Rafael Esturi

Authors
  1. José Marcelo Galbis
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  2. Manuel Mata
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  3. Ricardo Guijarro
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  4. Rafael Esturi
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  5. Salvador Figueroa
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  6. Antonio Arnau
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Correspondence to Manuel Mata.

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Galbis, J.M., Mata, M., Guijarro, R. et al. Clinical-therapeutic management of thoracoscopy in pleural effusion: a groundbreaking technique in the twenty-first century. Clin Transl Oncol 13, 57–60 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-011-0617-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-011-0617-x

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