[Treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax by electrocoagulation via a fiberoptic bronchoscope with a hysteroscope irrigation outer sheath as a thoracoscope].

Since 1981 in Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital, the authors performed electro-coagulation therapy for air leakage from bullae (blebs) via a rigid thoracoscope in 31 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. Among these patients, this treatment was unsuccessful in 14 patients (45.2%) because of 5 multiple or giant bullae and 9 cases in which it was impossible to visualize the bullae in the mediastinum or because of pleural adhesion. In order to widen the visual field and increase the mobility of the thoracoscope, we employed a fiberoptic bronchoscope with a hysteroscope outer sheath used for irrigation as a flexible thoracoscope. This method makes it possible to examine both mediastinal pleura and adhesive pleural space, and to electrocoagulate bullae which cannot be visualized by a rigid thoracoscope. It was possible to visualize the blebs in all 13 cases with spontaneous pneumothorax in which this examination was attempted. This therapeutic procedure causes the patients less pain and the hospitals more economical because no new thoracoscope is necessary. This method of thoracoscopic therapy of spontaneous pneumothorax using a fiberoptic bronchoscope is more successful, effective, economical and painless than by rigid thoracoscope and should be attempted before thoracotomy.