Retrospective Analysis Of Treatment Options In First Recurrences Of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax In Young Adults

Aim: Surgical approach in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is still not well defined. We aimed to evaluate treatment options in first recurrences of PSP.
Methods: We treated 44 male patients with first recurrences of PSP. All cases had been treated with chest tube for the first attack. In first recurrences, treatment strategies were classified into three groups such as chest tube (n:15, mean age 25.4±9.1), VATS (n:14, mean age 24.4±1.91) and open thoracotomy (n:15, mean age 23.2±3.1). These cases were retrospectively evaluated in terms of recurrence and succes rates.
Results: There was no conversion to open thoracotomy in VATS series. VATS group had significant difference in terms of mean time to removal of chest tube when compared to chest tube and thoracotomy groups (p=0,042 and p=0,018 respectively). Also recurrences occurred in chest tube group (n:8), no recurrence was seen in thoracotomy and VATS groups.
Conclusion: The present study strongly suggests VATS for management of first recurrences of PSP following pleural abrasion.