From March, 1985, to June, 1993, 244 patients with 345 episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax treated at Koryo General Hospital were reviewed. Most of the patients were male, and the ratio of male to female was 8:1. The average age of the patients
with
spontaneous pneumothorax was 32.8years old. The site of pneumothorax was revealed left side in 53.3% , right side in 53.3%, right side in 42.6%, and bilateral in 4.1%. The cause of pneumothorax were shown primary spontaneous pneumothorax in
73.4%,
and
secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in 26.6%. The underlying pathologic lesion in secondary spontaneous pneumothorax showed pulmonary tuberculosis in 56patients(86.1%), COPD in 4 patients(6.2%), bronchial asthma in 2 patients(3.1%), lung cancer in
2
patients(3.1%), and pneumoconiosis in a patient(1.5%). The usual clinical symptomes were dyspnea, chest pain and chest discomfort. Recurrence rate was as follow; 2nd episode 33.6%, 3rd episode in 26.8%, and above in 4th episode in 18.2%. All the
patient
of pneumothorax was treated as following; Closed thoracostomy tube drainage in 127 patients, bullectomy in 88 patients, lobectomy in 5 patients, wedge resection in 2 patients, conservative treatment with oxygen therapy in 21 patients, and video
assisted
thoracoscopic bullectomy in a patient.
The course of treatment of all of the patients were smooth and uneventful. (Korean J Thoracic Cardiovas Surg 1994; 27:292-6)
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