Role of Rigid Thoracoscopy in Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion: A Prospective Study

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Date
2019-03
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Research Organization for Life & Health Sciences (IROLHS)
Abstract
Background: Medical thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive, safe, and cost-effective procedure that allows complete visualizationof pleural space, enabling diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as pleural biopsy and talc insufflations. Conservativeestimates suggest that 25% of patients seen in general pulmonologist’s practice involve pleura, of these 25% are unable to beattributed to a specific diagnosis, even after thoracentesis and closed pleural biopsy.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of rigid thoracoscopy in undiagnosed pleural effusion.Methods: This prospective observational descriptive study was conducted in Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Tamil Nadu,in the Department of Thoracic Medicine between July 2017 and December 2018. Rigid thoracoscopy equipment was used forinvestigation. 12 undiagnosed pleural effusion patients after thoracentesis who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria wereincluded in the study.Results: Of the 12 patients, six were male and six were female; seven had right-sided pleural effusion and five had left sidedpleural effusion. Investigation reports were inconclusive except for suggesting an exudative effusion. Cytological examinationsof pleural fluid were inconclusive in all the patients. After thoracoscopy, tuberculosis was diagnosed in five cases, metastasesin three cases, mesothelioma in two cases, and inflammatory pathology in two cases.Conclusion: Thoracoscopy is a safe procedure with high diagnostic yield in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion (EPE).Asimple, minimally invasive low-cost investigation reduces the need for more invasive and much more expensive thoracotomy.Our study proved that rigid thoracoscopy remains the investigation of choice in all undiagnosed EPE for accurate diagnosisand management.
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Keywords
Undiagnosed pleural effusion, Thoracentesis, Diagnostic yield, HPE
Citation
G Selvamani, A Manimaran, K Anbananthan, A Nadhiya, R Ponnar, R Venkatesan. Role of Rigid Thoracoscopy in Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion: A Prospective Study. International Journal of Scientific Study. 2019 Mar; 6(12): 163-166