[The history and development of thoracoscopy].

The development of thoracoscopy is closely connected with the history of the artificial pneumothorax, of pleural suction drainage and of endoscopy. After its introduction in 1910 by Jacobaeus thoracoscopy was at first used mainly for therapeutic purposes (thoracocausty). With the onset of drug treatment of tuberculosis and the end of the area of pneumothorax therapy thoracoscopy was increasingly used as a diagnostic method. Today it is second in importance only to fibre bronchoscopy in pneumology.