The effectiveness of single port thoracoscopic approach in pleural effusions

Objective: Currently, thoracoscopic procedures have been used frequently in diagnosis and treatment of pleural effusions. It was reported, high diagnosis and treatment success with thoracoscopy in pleural effusion, which was not, diagnosed using cytology and blinding pleural biopsy procedures. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate of the patient was performed video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) due to pleural effusion.\udMethods: Between 2011 and 2014 years, it was evaluated 52 patients was performed VATS because of pleural effusion. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia and single lung ventilation in 50 patients, and local anesthesia in 2 patients.\udResults: Histopathological results were reported as carcinoma infiltration in 29 patients, benign disease in 23 patients. Cytological examination of liquid was executed before thoracoscopy in all of the patients with malignity positive. In addition, in eight patients pleura biopsy, on which blinding was executed, evaluated as malignity negative. The diagnostic value of our procedure has 100% in malign group and 98% in benign group. In patients with malignant disease, pleurodesis was performed peroperatively. Mean hospital stay was 5 days (3-15). Mean duration of terminating chest tube was 3 days (3-15). There were no morbidity and mortality due to procedure.\udConclusion: Single port VATS is an effective and safe procedure in diagnosis and palliative treatment of patient with pleural effusion, and it has high success rate and reduces hospital stay