Approximately 3,000 ㎖ of sanguinous pleural fluid was aspirated, and a percutasneous
pleural biopsy was performed. The pathology report, including pleural fiuid cytology and
the pleural biopsy, indicated and stypical mesothelial cell hyperplasia. For further
svaluation, a thoracoscopy was right middle and lower lobes. This was more pronounced
around the interlobar fissure between the middle and lower lobe. Several biopsies were
done, and an epithelial type of malignant mesothelioma was confirmed
histopathologically. In this case, the malignant mesothelioma could be diagnosed with a
thoracoscopic biopsy in an early stage, when the lesion was localized in the partial
visceral pleura, prior to its spreading to the entire viscaral pleura and parietal pleura.
With this procedure, we could avoid an open-lung biopsy. Thoracoscopy is an easy and
simple prodedure for the early diagnosis of pleural disease.
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