Pleurodesis for spontaneous pneumothorax. Experience with intrapleural olive oil in high risk patients.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is rare among Nigerians, but our experience with olive oil confirms its advantages as a good agent for chemical pleurodesis. Clinical and supporting experimental data from rabbits are presented. In high risk patients with poor respiratory reserve, including some who have bronchopleural fistulas and are unfit for surgery, chemical pleurodesis offers an alternative method for maintaining reexpansion and preventing recurrence.