RESIDUAL POSTOPERATIVE PNEUMOTHORAX - PRO NE TO COMPLICATIONS

470 patients underwent either lobectomy, bilobectomy or decortication at our institution between 1980 and 1991. A residual postoperative pne umothorax was observed in 20.7% of the patients at discharge after rem oval of the chest tubes. There was no significant correlation between the development of a residual postoperative pneumothorax and the patie nt's age and gender, the type of operation (lobectomy vs bilobectomy v s decortication) and the date of operation (as related to the introduc tion of stapling devices). This residual post-operative pneumothorax a t discharge resolved without any further treatment in 95% of the patie nts during follow-up. Complete regression was observed in 91% of the p atients within one year after the operation and the duration of regres sion did not correlate with the size of the pneumothorax at discharge. No empyema was observed in any patient with residual pneumothorax dur ing follow-up, which also holds true for patients who underwent resect ion or decortication for inflammatory disease. We conclude that there is no need for treatment of residual postoperative pneumothorax, eithe r with space-filling maneuvers at the initial operation or repeat ches t tube insertions during follow-up, provided there is no evidence of l ung collapse.