Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy
Introduction: Thoracoscopy is an invasive procedure that may be performed by physicians for the investigation of exudative pleural effusion using local anaesthesia, conscious sedation and a rigid thoracoscope. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the safety and outcome of thoracoscopy in Portsmouth Hos...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
2012
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17994 |
| _version_ | 1848749618016288768 |
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| author | Brims, Fraser Arif, M. Chauhan, A. |
| author_facet | Brims, Fraser Arif, M. Chauhan, A. |
| author_sort | Brims, Fraser |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Introduction: Thoracoscopy is an invasive procedure that may be performed by physicians for the investigation of exudative pleural effusion using local anaesthesia, conscious sedation and a rigid thoracoscope. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the safety and outcome of thoracoscopy in Portsmouth Hospitals, UK, a dockyard city with high previous asbestos usage. Methods: Retrospective casenote, radiology and laboratory result analysis of patients undergoing thoracoscopy in our institution over a 12-month period. Results: Fifty-seven of 58 casenotes were available for analysis. Median (interquartile range) age was 73.0 (66.5-79.0) years and 44 (77.2%) were male. Median time with chest drain post-procedure was 3.0 (2.0-5.0) days, and length of stay (LOS) was 4.0 (2.0-8.0) days. Malignant histology was reported in 40 (70.2%), with 25 (62.5%) cases of mesothelioma. There were no deaths related to the procedure. Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) occurred in six (10.5%: pneumonia four, empyema two), all had malignancy. The presence of HAI significantly prolonged the LOS 9.0 (7.5-23.5) vs no HAI 4.0 (2.0-7.0) days; P=0.006). Four patients died within 1 month of the procedure, three had a malignant diagnosis, all had suffered HAI. Trapped lung (persistent hydropneumothorax 5 days post-procedure) occurred in 11 (19.2%), six of whom had benign histology. Performance status (European Cooperative Oncology Group) prior did not differ with reported histological type: benign 2.0 (2.0-2.0), malignant 2.0 (2.0-3.0), P=0.170. Conclusions: Serious complications following thoracoscopy are rare. HAI is associated with malignancy and prolonged hospital stay. Benign histology may still confer significant morbidity. Please cite this paper as: Brims FJH, Arif M and Chauhan AJ. Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:23:48Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-17994 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:23:48Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-179942017-09-13T15:43:29Z Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy Brims, Fraser Arif, M. Chauhan, A. Introduction: Thoracoscopy is an invasive procedure that may be performed by physicians for the investigation of exudative pleural effusion using local anaesthesia, conscious sedation and a rigid thoracoscope. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the safety and outcome of thoracoscopy in Portsmouth Hospitals, UK, a dockyard city with high previous asbestos usage. Methods: Retrospective casenote, radiology and laboratory result analysis of patients undergoing thoracoscopy in our institution over a 12-month period. Results: Fifty-seven of 58 casenotes were available for analysis. Median (interquartile range) age was 73.0 (66.5-79.0) years and 44 (77.2%) were male. Median time with chest drain post-procedure was 3.0 (2.0-5.0) days, and length of stay (LOS) was 4.0 (2.0-8.0) days. Malignant histology was reported in 40 (70.2%), with 25 (62.5%) cases of mesothelioma. There were no deaths related to the procedure. Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) occurred in six (10.5%: pneumonia four, empyema two), all had malignancy. The presence of HAI significantly prolonged the LOS 9.0 (7.5-23.5) vs no HAI 4.0 (2.0-7.0) days; P=0.006). Four patients died within 1 month of the procedure, three had a malignant diagnosis, all had suffered HAI. Trapped lung (persistent hydropneumothorax 5 days post-procedure) occurred in 11 (19.2%), six of whom had benign histology. Performance status (European Cooperative Oncology Group) prior did not differ with reported histological type: benign 2.0 (2.0-2.0), malignant 2.0 (2.0-3.0), P=0.170. Conclusions: Serious complications following thoracoscopy are rare. HAI is associated with malignancy and prolonged hospital stay. Benign histology may still confer significant morbidity. Please cite this paper as: Brims FJH, Arif M and Chauhan AJ. Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17994 10.1111/j.1752-699X.2011.00254.x unknown |
| spellingShingle | Brims, Fraser Arif, M. Chauhan, A. Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title | Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title_full | Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title_fullStr | Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title_short | Outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| title_sort | outcomes and complications following medical thoracoscopy |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17994 |