Excision of bullae without pleurectomy in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax

Abstract

In a retrospective review of 294 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax (398 episodes), 45 patients came to surgical treatment. The period of the study was 7½ years, with a mean follow-up of 3 years in which there was no recurrence of pneumothorax after surgery. Operation consisted of simple excision of bullous lesions, usually located at the apexof the upper lobe, without pleurectomy. This simplified surgical approach has met with excellent results, indicating thatpleurectomy is unnecessary in the treatment of this disease.