Thoracoscopy as a Method of Exploration in Penetrating Injuries of the Thorax

(Preliminary Report)

¹ Surgeon of the Hospital de Pronto Socorro (Emergency Hospital), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

As we have shown above, and according to the observations stated, thoracoscopy renders us important services as an exploratory method in penetrating wounds of the thorax, accompanied by pneumothorax or hemopneumothorax. We have been using this method since May 1943, the date of our first observation, which was followed by four more. Our five patients left the hospital recovered, without undue consequences, with lungs re-expanded, after 20, 11, 9, 10 and 20 days, respectively. Unfortunately, we have only been able to observe a few of the many aspects of penetrating wounds of the thorax. But I feel certain that thoracoscopy will be very useful for the diagnosis of all varieties of such wounds.