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The utility of thoracic ultrasound before local anesthetic video‐assisted thoracoscopy in patients with suspected pleural malignancy
Author(s) -
Medford Andrew R. L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.20635
Subject(s) - medicine , thoracoscopy , malignant pleural effusion , malignancy , pleurodesis , pleural effusion , radiology , pleural disease , surgery , ultrasound , parietal pleura , respiratory disease , lung , pathology
Video‐assisted thoracoscopy under local anesthesia (VAT‐LA) is a key investigation in the diagnosis and management of suspected malignant pleural effusion. Two problems encountered at VAT‐LA are accessing the pleural space and fibrinous intrapleural septa. Thoracic sonography (TUS) is known to facilitate thoracocentesis after dry tap but has not been studied in detail before VAT‐LA. We report a case of lateral decubitus pre‐VAT TUS that helped locate the optimal access to the pleural space and demonstrated fibrinous intrapleural septation, thereby affecting the decision to avoid thoracoscopic pleurodesis. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2009