Background Mortality from malignant mesothelioma is expected to peak in the UK in the current decade. Areas of the country which have historically high rates of industrial exposure to asbestos, such as South East Wales, are expected to bear a disproportionately high burden of mesothelioma, making a priority. Medical thoracoscopy is an effective and safe procedure, affording both a high diagnostic yield in mesothelioma and an opportunity to carry out therapeutic drainage of pleural effusion. Methods We evaluated the diagnostic yield and safety of medical thoracoscopy at our centre over a 5-year period from 2010 to 2015 including 104 consecutive patients. Results We found that thoracoscopy provided a conclusive result effected 91.6% of successful biopsies. Thoracoscopy was especially superior to pleural cytology in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, revealing 37 cases when cytology suggested only 5. The procedure was particularly safe with no mortality and only 6.7% of patients experiencing minor complications such as hypotension, and more than 75% of patients tolerated the procedure with mild or no discomfort. Conclusion We conclude that the awake sedation thoracoscopy service at our institution is safe and effective, particularly in the diagnosis of mesothelioma, which is common in our area.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.