[Therapy of spontaneous pneumothorax--surgical therapy].

Spontaneous pneumothorax was treated by primary thoracotomy in 225 patients (1974-1988) in the Thoracic Unit Havelhöhe (Berlin-West). The patients' average age was 25 years (11-60 y.) and the male/female ratio was 169/56. Subpleural cystic lesions were regularly found: segment 1 was affected in 178 cases, other segments in 47 cases. Peripheral resections were performed in 218 and segmental resections in seven patients. Operative results were excellent with no postoperative deaths and no recurrence of pneumothorax. Primary thoracotomy is recommended as treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax.