Tailoring thoracoplasty is employed prior to, following, or concomitant with pulmonary resection when it is anticipated that insufficient lung tissue will remain to fill the pleural space following a pulmonary resection. This study reviewed a
reviewed a
series of eight patients treatment treated with tailoring thoracoplasty between 1990 and 1995. Indications were to close a persistent space in four patients and to tailor the thoracic cavity to accept diminished lung volume concomitant with a
pulmonary
resection in the other four patients. The primary underlying disease was lung cancer in three patients and pulmonary tuberculosis in five patients, two of whom had concomitant aspergilloma, two pneumothorax, and one, empyema with bronchopleural
fistula.
In four patients with a prior pulmonary resection, the tailoring thoracoplasty was performed within eight days after the resection surgery. There was no failure to accommodate the thoracic cavity to insufficient lung tissue, even though two
patients
needed a second thoracoplasty. We conclude that tailoring thoracoplasty may be performed to close anticipated persistent pleural space and to accommodate diminished lung volume with acceptable cosmetic results early, after, or concomitant with
pumonary
resection in selected patients.
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