Clinical application of medical thoracoscopy in unknown pleural effusion

Objective To study the clinical application of medical thoracoscopy in unknown pleural effusion.Method 60 cases unknown pleural effusion were performed with medical thoracoscopy,biopsy were used of in the pleural under medical thoracoscopy.Results Of all 60 cases,57 were diagnosed definitely by pathology,the diagnostic accuracy rate was 95%,among which 6 were malignant tumors(5 adenocarcinoma,1 squamous cell cancer),1 pleural metastasis of rectum,2 pleural mesothelioma,1 lymphocytic lymphoma;46 cases were diagnosed definitely as tuberculous pleurisy(76.66%),3 acidophily granulomatous inflammation,2 nonspecific inflammation,1 empyema,1 showed no abnormalities in pleura.Of 7 bilateral pleural effusion,3 were related with liver flukes,1 with rheumatoid arthritis,1 with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),1 were normal without biopsying.Conclusion Medical thoracoscopy is an optimum diagnosis method for unknown pleural effusion.