Plombage Thoracoplasty in the Current Medical Practice.

SESSION TYPE: Thoracic Surgery Posters IPRESENTED ON: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 01:30 PM - 02:30 PMPURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the late imagistic and clinical features of the patients with a history of plombage thoracoplasty for tuberculosis (TB) admitted to our unit.METHODS: Between 01.01.1990-01.01.2012 we admitted in our clinic a total number of 5 patients with a history of plombage thoracoplasty. The plombage was performed with: balls (2 cases), autologous rib (2 cases) and oil-filled bag (1case). All the innitial procedures were performed on other units or by other surgeons, plombage thoracoplasty being abandoned by our team. The interval between the plombage thoracoplasty and admittance to our unit ranged between 7 and 46 years (average 29).RESULTS: 2 patients were admitted for complications related to the plombage thoracoplasty - recurrence and overinfection requiring reoperation (removal of the plombage material and thoracomyoplasty). One patient presented a contralateral empyema and two patients presented no thoracic complaints. The plombage material was obvious on both CXR and CT scans in all cases. At one year follow-up, the operated patients presented no recurrence and no significant thoracic complaints. One patient died of causes unrelated to the plombage thoracoplasty (myocardial infarction).CONCLUSIONS: Late survivors of plombage thoracoplasty may be encountered in the current medical practice. They may present with complications related to plombage thoracoplasty or for other health problems.CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Although plombage thoracoplasty is a hystorical procedure, doctors involved with the treatment of chest diseases should be familiar with the imagistic and clinical features of these procedures since they may meet late survivors with or without complications related to the plombage material.DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Petre Vlah-Horea Botianu, Alexandru-Mihail BotianuNo Product/Research Disclosure InformationUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tirgu-Mures, Romania.