HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Hui-Ping Liu Pyng Jing Lin Jen-Ping Chang Ming-Jang Hsieh Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liu, H.-P. Articles by Hsieh, M.-J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liu, H.-P. Articles by Hsieh, M.-J.

Ann Thorac Surg 1994;58:1695-1697
© 1994 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Articles

Thoracoscopic management of effusive pericardial disease: Indications and technique

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

Accepted for publication June 2, 1994.

^_* Address reprint requests to Dr Liu, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 199, Tun-Hwa North Rd, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic technique was evaluated in 28 patients who underwent operation for massive pericardial effusion. Excellent results were obtained using this newly developed approach for inspection of all pericardial surfaces as well as pleural and pulmonary disorders. No perioperative or postoperative complications ensued. Videothoracoscopy revealed positive lung malignancies in 11 patients, and these would not have been promptly diagnosed without thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy also confirmed metastatic deposits on the pleura and diaphragm in 4 other patients. The visible nodules were proved to be metastatic adenocarcinoma. In 13 patients, thoracoscopy did not reveal malignancy, although 2 of these patients had a clinically suspected malignant lung tumor. Other indications for thoracoscopic drainage included 2 patients with impending pericardial tamponade after heart procedures and 6 patients with recurrent/loculated pericardial effusion. All of the patients showed promising and favorable postoperative courses after thoracoscopy. From our experience, video-assisted thoracoscopy was a safe and effective procedure, especially for those patients with combined pericardial effusion and abnormal pulmonary or pleural pathology in whom subxiphoid pericardial window was not clearly diagnostic at the time of operation. It was effective also in the situation with recurrent or loculated pericardial effusion which allowed localization and drainage of it. We believe that the use of videothoracoscopy to visualize the whole pericardial and pleural cavity will continue to be of great benefit to patients with combined pericardial and pleural/lung diseases.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. K.H. O'Brien, J. C. Kucharczuk, M. B. Marshall, J. S. Friedberg, Z. Chen, L. R. Kaiser, and J. B. Shrager Comparative Study of Subxiphoid Versus Video-Thoracoscopic Pericardial "Window" Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2005; 80(6): 2013 - 2019. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Georghiou, A. Stamler, E. Sharoni, S. Fichman-Horn, M. Berman, B. A. Vidne, and M. Saute Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Pericardial Window for Diagnosis and Management of Pericardial Effusions Ann. Thorac. Surg., August 1, 2005; 80(2): 607 - 610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. L. Porte, T. J. Janecki-Delebecq, L. Finzi, D. G. Metois, A. Millaire, and A. J. Wurtz Pericardoscopy for primary management of pericardial effusion in cancer patients Eur J Cardiothorac Surg, September 1, 1999; 16(3): 287 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Geissbuhler, A. Leiser, J. Fuhrer, and H.-B. Ris Video-assisted thoracoscopic pericardial fenestration for loculated or recurrent effusions Eur J Cardiothorac Surg, October 1, 1998; 14(4): 403 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-P. Liu, C.-H. Chang, P. J. Lin, and M.-J. Hsieh THORACOSCOPIC LOOP LIGATION OF PARENCHYMAL BLEBS AND BULLAE: IS IT EFFECTIVE AND SAFE? J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., January 1, 1997; 113(1): 50 - 54. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				O. Nugue, A. Millaire, H. Porte, P. de Groote, P. Guimier, A. Wurtz, and G. Ducloux Pericardioscopy in the Etiologic Diagnosis of Pericardial Effusion in 141 Consecutive Patients Circulation, October 1, 1996; 94(7): 1635 - 1641. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. A. Maher, F. A. Shepherd, and T. J. R. Todd PERICARDIAL SCLEROSIS AS THE PRIMARY MANAGEMENT OF MALIGNANT PERICARDIAL EFFUSION AND CARDIAC TAMPONADE J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., September 1, 1996; 112(3): 637 - 643. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. P. C. Yim and H.-P. Liu Complications and Failures of Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery: Experience From Two Centers in Asia Ann. Thorac. Surg., February 1, 1996; 61(2): 538 - 541. [Abstract] [Full Text]