Clinical Application of the Axillary Thoracotomy in the Treatment of Spontaneous Pneumothorax

Objective To explore the clinical value of the axillary thoracotomy incision in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted of the clinical data of the 23 cases of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax caused by ruptured pulmonary bullae who were treated with axillary thoracotomy from Feb 2005 to Dec 2009.The larger bullae were treated with the methods of wedging and overlapping mattress sutures,while the smaller bullae were ligated.Results The intrathoracic drains of all the 23 patients were removed 1 to 3 days after the surgeries and all the patients were cured.No recurrent pneumothorax was found in the follow-ups 3 to 24 months after the surgeries.Conclusion Axillary thoracotomy incision has the characteristics of reliable safety,small trauma,quick recovery and reliable efficacy in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax.