Research article
The adequacy of single-incisional thoracoscopic surgery as a first-line endoscopic approach for the management of recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax: a retrospective study
1 Graduate Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan
2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
3 Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
4 Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei City, Taiwan
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery 2012, 7:99 doi:10.1186/1749-8090-7-99
Published: 29 September 2012Abstract
Background
Thoracoscopic surgery is a commonly used endoscopic surgical treatment approach in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The conventional thoracoscopic approach utilizes three or more small wounds for surgery. Currently, a single port approach is a potential alternative procedure in general thoracoscopic surgery. We investigated whether a single-port approach is suitable as a first-line endoscopic approach for all patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax requiring surgery.
Methods
From July 1st, 2008 to Dec 31, 2009, a total of 62 patients was included in this study. All the patients were admitted to our ward because they had surgical indications for surgery. Twenty-six patients underwent conventional three-port thoracoscopic surgery and thirty-six underwent single-port thoracoscopic surgery. All of the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. Variables were compared and analyzed to determine the outcomes of the different surgical approaches.
Results
The mean age of the 62 patients was 27.2 years. Forty-nine patients were men and thirteen patients were women. The mean time required for the operation was 61.6 minutes. There was one patient who had a recurrence in single-port group and 2 patients had a recurrence in three-port group during the period of follow-up. The average pain scores at 24 and 48 hrs after the operation were similar, but the pain scores at 72 hrs in the single-port group were better than the three-port group. There was no case that required conversion from a single-port to multiple wound approach in this study. There was no immediate postoperative recurrence. The follow-up duration was greater than 12 months.
Conclusion
This study showed that single-port thoracoscopic surgery is a feasible and reasonable first-line endoscopic approach in the surgical treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax.
