Video-assisted thoracoscopic pleurodesis. A survey conducted by the German Society for Thoracic Surgery.

As video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has been performed for more than five years an inquiry was made to register and if possible to evaluate different pleurodesis procedures in the treatment of pneumothorax in Germany. 19 institutions provided information about 1365 operations. Overall there were 88 recurrences (6.5%). 26 (1.9%) severe bleeding complications or hemothorax and 39 (2.9%) persisting air leaks required further interventions. There were two (0.1%) hospital deaths. Recurrence rates showed a significant (p < 0.001) correlation to the type of pleurodesis used. Talcum pleurodesis had no recurrences and fibrin glue pleurodesis had the highest rate of recurrence (16.4%) both procedures being less frequent. After causal treatment, i.e. resection without any pleurodesis, recurrence rate is inconsistent and was 10.2% overall. Pleural abrasion was followed by a recurrence rate of 7.9% and pleurectomy of 4.4%. Both procedures induced significantly (p = 0.01) more bleeding complications (about 3%) than other procedures (0.4%). Promising was coagulation of the pleura parietalis with a recurrence rate of only 2.7% and a low rate of complications.