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Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) Talc Pleurodesis Versus Pleurectomy for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A Large Single-Centre Study with No Conversion

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Abstract

Background

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a relatively common clinical entity with high incidence in the young population. Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) bullectomy and chemical or mechanical pleurodesis are two primary modalities of treatment. There has been much debate on the ideal mode of pleurodesis, but the literature on surgical outcomes comparing VATS pleurectomy with talc pleurodesis has been inconclusive.

Methods

We performed a single-centre 5-year observational retrospective study of 202 patients who underwent VATS bullectomy with talc pleurodesis or parietal pleurectomy.

Results

There were no significant differences in the demographics, pre-operative and intra-operative characteristics in both groups. Recurrence of pneumothorax, chest tube duration and hospital stay were similar in both groups. However, talc pleurodesis had a shorter operative time compared to pleurectomy.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated comparable outcomes between talc pleurodesis and pleurectomy following VATS bullectomy for patients with PSP.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, National University Heart Centre Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, NUHS Tower Block, Level 9, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119228, Singapore

    Harish Mithiran, Lowell Leow, Kingsfield Ong & John Kit Chung Tam

  2. Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Terence Liew, Daveraj Siva & John Kit Chung Tam

  3. Medicine Biostatistics Unit, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Shen Liang

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  1. Harish Mithiran
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  2. Lowell Leow
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Correspondence to Harish Mithiran.

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Mithiran, H., Leow, L., Ong, K. et al. Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) Talc Pleurodesis Versus Pleurectomy for Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A Large Single-Centre Study with No Conversion. World J Surg 43, 2099–2105 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-019-05001-2

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