Primary spontaneous pneumothorax: Towards outpatient treatment and abandoning chest tube drainage

Abstract

The initial treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is not standardized throughout the world. Although aspiration is less painful and requires less hospitalization than chest tube drainage does, the latter is still frequently used as the initial treatment. After a recurrence or failure of aspiration, chest tube drainage, again, is often the procedure of choice although VATS or thoracoscopy and talc poudrage have been proven to be much more effective. For the surgical treatment of recurrent pneumothorax, the role of routine resection of blebs and nonruptured bullae still needs to be assessed. Pleurodesis (chemical or mechanical) should be the standard treatment in a surgical procedure. © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.