General Indications for Decortication for Fibrothorax
Presence for >4-6 wks
Disabling Lung Symptoms
Radiologic/Clinical Evidence of Trapped Lung
Failure of Chest Tube Drainage to Achieve Expansion (see Chest Tube, [[Chest Tube]])
Technique
Definition: surgical removal of restrictive layer of fibrous material/tissue overlying the lung, chest wall, and diaphragm (which restricts lung expansion)
xxx
Adverse Effects/Complications
xxxx
References
Medical and surgical treatment of parapneumonic effusions : an evidence-based guideline. Chest. 2000; 118(4):1158-71 [MEDLINE]
Clinical implications of unexpandable lung due to pleural disease. Am J Med Sci. 2008; 335(1):21-5 [MEDLINE]
Surgical treatment of chronic empyema. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010; 58(7):311-6 [MEDLINE]
Debridement alone without decortication can achieve lung re-expansion in patients with empyema: an observational study. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011 May. 12(5):724-7 [MEDLINE]
