Pediatric thoracostomy procedures are used in the emergency department to treat diseases of the pleural space. As children have unique thoracic anatomy and physiology, they may present with management challenges that the emergency clinician must consider. This issue reviews the use of chest tubes and pigtail catheters in pediatric patients, techniques and indications for placement, and possible...

Introduction: Medical thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating pleural diseases. Despite its proven role in diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, it is infrequently used, which could be because of cost of equipment and lack of training. We analyzed our initial 3 years record of thoracoscopy at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, a tertiary care center in Hi...

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis kills five lakh patients every year in India, commonest being pulmonary tuberculosis and is often associated with effusion. Delay in diagnosis and treatment results in poor prognosis. Several studies have suggested the role of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions, but false-positive results from lymphocytic effusions have also been ...

introduction: medical thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating pleural diseases. despite its proven role in diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, it is infrequently used, which could be because of cost of equipment and lack of training. we analyzed our initial 3 years record of thoracoscopy at himalayan institute of medical sciences, a tertiary care center in hi...

Although infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases frequently involve the pleural space and walls, little is known about the immunological and molecular mechanisms underlying pleural disorders. This article provides an overview of recent insights into immunobiological processes likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of pleural disorders. Pleural involvement in certain diseases is asso...

BACKGROUND Some trials recently demonstrated the benefit of targeted treatment for malignant disease; therefore, adequate tissues are needed to detect the targeted gene. Pleural biopsy using flex-rigid pleuroscopy and pleural effusion cell block analysis are both useful for diagnosis of malignancy and obtaining adequate samples. The purpose of our study was to compare the diagnostic utility bet...

Indications for thoracic surgery in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are principally represented by pleural diseases including pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and empyema and by parenchymal lung diseases including bronchiectasis, hemoptysis, and pulmonary abscess. Moreover, lung transplantation has proved a viable therapeutic option for progressive respiratory failure due to end-stage CF. Mai...