The application of medical thoracoscopy in diagnosis of cryptogenic pleural effusions

Objective To study the value of medical thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of cryptogenic pleural effusions.Methods Medical thoracoscopy was performed in 106 patients with cryptogenic pleural effusion.Pleural biopsies were routinely performed.Results Pathologic diagnosis was obtained in 102 patients,with pleural metastasis of lung cancer in 28 cases,malignant pleural mesothelioma in 9 cases,malignant lymphoma in l case,pleural metastasis of other cancer in 3 cases,pleural tuberculosis in 40 cases,inflammation in 16 cases and sarcoidosis in 1 case.No abnormality was seen by medical thoracoscopy in 4 patients.Conclusions Medical thoracoscopy is a safe and well-tolerated procedure with high diagnostic accuracy to cryptogenic pleural effusion,and ideal pleural organ can be obtained under direct vision.The positive rate of diagnosis of pleural effusions is improved significantly by medical thoracoscopy. Key words: Pleural effusion; Thoracoscopy