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Thoracoscopy management in patients with pleural pathology, the experience of 18 cases. Hospital homero castanier crespo

Abstract:

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing thoracoscopy at the Hospital Homero Castanier Crespo, Ecuador. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive and retrospective study in adult patients admitted to the Hospital Homero Castanier Crespo with a pleural collection that required a tube thoracostomy with previous thoracoscopy, during the period between 2014 and 2017; the clinical data was analyzed from the medical records department of this healthcare center. Results: Out of the 18 patients, the most frequent diagnosis was the presence of a coagulated hematoma (44.4%, n=8), followed by a septate pleural effusion (27.8%, n=5). The thoracic trauma and the pneumonia had the same percentage (44.4%, n= 8) and the most used antibiotic treatment was ceftazidime (55.6%, n=10). When assessing behavior according to sex, the most frequent cause in men was chest trauma (72.7%) and in women pneumonia (71.4%). Conclusion: Patients undergoing thoracoscopy at the Hospital Homero Castanier Crespo (Ecuador) showed a similar frequency of traumatic and infectious causes with predominance in men and women, respectively. All the patients presented a favorable evolution, with the removal of the thoracic tube in less than 7 days and without complications. Thus, both techniques would offer better results.