Thoracoscopy in perspective.

The indications for thoracoscopy are undiagnosed pleural disease effusions of tumors; when tissue specificity is important for future treatment and adequate tissue is needed for estrogen binding studies; undiagnosed pleuropulmonary disease; biopsy of pulmonary lesions undiagnosed by other means; mediastinal masses, particularly in children; hilar masses; preoperative screening preliminary to thoracotomy for resection in malignant disease, particularly those with effusions; in spontaneous pneumothorax, to define the abnormality and indicate the need for thoracotomy; for postresection space problems; trauma, and, of course, for intrapleural pneumonolysis.