Pleurectomy through the triangle of auscultation for treatment of recurrent pneumothorax in younger patients. Evaluation of 60 consecutive cases.

Sixty patients, aged 14 to 35 years, with recurrent pneumothorax were treated with pleurectomy through the triangle of auscultation, with no chest wall muscle transection. The advantages of this approach over a full thoracotomy are that with no muscle transection, a shorter postoperative recovery is expected and, subsequently, early return to normal activity is achieved. The scar may also be more cosmetically acceptable. There was no postoperative mortality, and only one patient required reoperation because of bleeding. The technique is simple, and exposure is adequate. If necessary, this limited thoracotomy can be converted to a full thoracotomy with no difficulty.