[Early and late pleural decortication--indications and technique].

Our experience with 224 decortications performed between 1957 and 1987 is reported. Insufficient drainage of tuberculous and unspecific pleural empyema was the main indication. Haemothorax, pleural loculation and chronic serofibrinous pleuritis were indications of secondary importance. Mortality following decortication was on the order of 0.1% and postoperative morbidity, 3%. However, in the past 10 years there has been a general reduction of aggressive surgical treatment. Whereas decortication and thoracoplasty account for 12% and 4% respectively of our surgical pulmonary procedures, therapy with closed-tube drainage has increased to 84%.