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Objectives: In this study, we aimed to present our pediatric-aged patietns with parapneumonic pleural effusion who diagnosed and trated with videothoracoscopy.
Methods: Between January 2014 and December 2018, 19 patients with parapneumonic effusion at the pediatric age group were treated by videothoracoscopic surgery in Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Thoracic Surgery. Nine of the cases were male and 10 were female. The mean age was 9,10. All patients underwent thoracentesis and biochemical and cytolological examinations. Nine of the cases were on the right and 10 of the patients had effusion on the left side. Twelve of the cases were applied at the fibrinopurulent stage and 7 of them underwent VATS at the organization stage. All patients were operated under general anesthesia. Four patients had one lung ventilation with double lumen endobronchial tube. Videothoracoscopy was performed with a single port.
Results: The mean hospital stay was 14.7 days. Decortication was required in one patient by thoracotomy. The diagnosis was reported as tuberculosis pleuritis in one patient.
Conclusion: We conclude that videothoracoscopic surgery is an effective method for the diagnosis and palliative treatment of parapneumonic effusion in pediatric patients.