Thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of pleural disease

Objective: To assess the accuracy and safety of thoracoscopy for the evaluation of pleural disease. Design: Prospective evaluation of patients referred for thoracos-copy. Setting: University hospital specializing in chest diseases. Patients: We studied 102 patients with pleural disease, the cause of which had not been determined after initial investigation, including thoracentesis and needle biopsy. Eighty-six patients had pleural effusion, 11 had pleural mass, and 5 had pleural effusion in association with a known primary lung carcinoma. Intervention: All patients had thoracoscopy under local anesthe-sia with mild sedation. Visually directed biopsies were done of parietal pleura. Measurements: We recorded clinical characteristics, laboratory data, findings and duration ofthoracoscopy, and any complication