[Efficacy, morbidity and mortality of surgical treatment of a primary spontaneous pneumothorax by videothorascopic talc pleurodesis]

Introduction: A primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is due to the presence of air in the pleural space and is of unknown cause or aetiology. The main characteristic of this condition is its high tendency to re-occur. This study has two objectives: 1) to determine the efficacy of lung resection surgery using a videothorascope and talc pleurodesis, 2) to analyse the complications originating from the use of talc.

Material and methods: A review was carried out on a series of 130 PSP cases treated using videothorascopy, with or without parenchymal resection, and pleurodesis with 3g of asbestos-free talc (STERITAL®). Epidemiological data were collected, including the diagnostic method, surgical indication, mortality, general morbidity, and the specific morbidity due to talc pleurodesis, the number of recurrences, and their treatment.

Results: The patients had a mean age of 26.4 years, 84.3% were male, and 69% smoked. The surgical indication of the PSP was recurrence in 74.4% of cases. There was morbidity in 7% (9) cases, with the most frequent complication being an air leak. No specific complication, such as empyema, pachypleuritis or adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, on the use of talc was recorded. The mean follow-up was 10.1 months, during which there was recurrence in 4 (3%) cases.

Conclusions: PSP treatment by videothorascopic talc pleurodesis is highly effective, superior to other techniques use to produce pleurodesis, has a low general morbidity, no mortality, and no specific complications due to the talc.