Less invasive procedures are becoming more and more popular as the risks are lower and the recovery time is quicker. A pleuroscopy is one such procedure that can be used as an alternative for other more invasive procedures such as a video-assisted thoracic surgery.
A pleuroscopy, also known as a medical thoracoscopy, is a minimally invasive procedure used to examine the inside of your pleural cavity. The pleural cavity is the fluid-filled space between your lungs and the pleural membranes. It plays an important role in helping the lungs to expand and contract and the fluid within the pleural cavity also acts as a lubricant which aids in this movement.
A pleuroscopy involves a long and thin tube, called a pleuroscope, with a camera and light attached at one end. It is usually used as a second line of diagnosis after other less invasive procedures such as a computed tomography scan (CT-scan), ultrasound, and a thoracentesis (pleural fluid is extracted using a needle). A pleuroscopy has 4 general functions, these are:
A pleuroscopy may be performed as an in-patient or out-patient procedure, depending on the test required – diagnostic or drainage and pleurodesis. It may take anywhere from 30-90 minutes.
You may feel a bit groggy after the procedure, so you will be monitored for a few hours to ensure that you recover well. You may also experience some discomfort from the chest tube. A chest x-ray might be performed after the pleuroscopy to ensure that no damage was done to your lungs.
It may be possible to remove the chest drain after a few hours; however, it may be kept in for a few days in some individuals. If the chest drain is kept in for longer, it is attached to a drainage bottle which has a gentle suction. This may cause increased discomfort so painkillers will be administered.
Once all the excess fluid has been drained, the chest tube is removed, and the incision is closed with stitches.
A pleuroscopy is required for the following:
Before the procedure, you must avoid eating and drinking for 6-12 hours and you may be required to stop certain medications such as blood thinners and aspirin. Either a sedative or general anaesthesia is used during the procedure, depending on your preference and advice of your respiratory specialist.
There are minimal to no risks or complications involved in a pleuroscopy in Singapore, however, like all medical procedures, a small number of individuals might experience some complications or risks. These are:
Full recovery takes about 4-6 weeks after the procedure.
This depends on the reason for the pleuroscopy and what was done during the procedure. If the pleuroscopy was used for drainage of a pleural effusion or in preparation for a pleurodesis, you will have to stay in the hospital for a few days. However, if the pleuroscopy was performed for diagnosis or biopsy purposes, you may be able to go home on the same day, subject to your doctor’s approval.
