PURPOSE Chemical pleurodesis is a therapeutic tool for the treatment of recurrent pleural effusions, mainly those of neoplastic etiology. In the past, tetracycline was the sclerosant agent of choice in clinical practice, but presently, there is no consensus about an ideal agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of macrolides (azithromycin and clarithromycin) or quinolones...

The aim of this study was to examine the role of TLR2 molecule in pleural space during thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis period in patients with malignant pleural effusion. We analyzed TLR2 molecule in soluble form as well as on membrane of granulocytes in pleural fluid. Pleural fluid examination was done at three intervals during pleurodesis procedure: 1st-before the thoracoscopic procedure, 2nd-...

A 43-year-old woman had experienced recurrent right pneumothoraces at the beginning of her menstrual period. Thoracoscopically, multiple small fenestrations were widely found over the tendinous part of the diaphragm. Multiple purple colored nodules were seen on the visceral surface of upper lobe containing intralobar lesions, and about 100 ml blood was pooled in the thoracic space. We performed...

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), apical blebectomy and chemical pleurodesis are often combined to prevent recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax [1,2]. Postoperative pain arising from above procedures can be severe, leading to increased length of stay [2,3]. Effective analgesia in the immediate post-operative period is necessary for optimal recovery, and satisfactory postoperative p...

Chemical pleurodesis using tetracycline is an accepted and commonly employed treatment of pneumothorax and pleural effusions. We describe a case of chemical burn of the pleura in a ventilated 41-year-old who came to thoracotomy after 3 days of continuous intrapleural infusion of tetracycline at another hospital. To our knowledge this has not been previously reported although other adverse effec...

In patients with suspicion of lung malignancy, FDG PET/CT is frequently used as a diagnostic and staging imaging modality. However, false positive findings are not uncommon. We demonstrate a case with FDG-avid pulmonary nodules, mimicking lung cancer. After histopathological examination they appeared to be the result of persistent inflamed tissue, due to talcage pleurodesis, which occurred 48 y...