Abstract: Objective To evaluate the clinical value of thoracoscope examination in disease of pleura with fiberoptic bronchoscope.Methods Twenty-two patients of pleural effusion and 25 patients of spontaneous pneumothorax were performed thoracoscope with fibrobronchoscope under local anesthesia.Results The diagnostic rate of patients with pleural effusion with thoracoscope was 95.4%(21/22),including 11 cases of pleural carcinomatosis,1 case of pleural malignant mesothelioma,6 cases of pleural tuberculosis and 3 cases of empyema.Twenty-five patients of pneumothorax,bullas or fistulae were seen in 13 patients,48%(12/25)of pneumothorax cases,etiologic causes have not been determined with thoracoscope.Conclusions It is safe and simple to apply the thoracoscope under local anesthesia.Through fiberbronchoscope,the pleural cavities could be observed clearly and biopsy specimen could be taken easily.In pleural effusions,the thoracoscopy provides the proof or exclusion of malignancy and tuberculosis.The thoracoscopy has proved also to be successful in the management of empyema and of spontaneous pneumothorax.

Key words: Pneumothorax, Pleural effusion, Thoracoscop, Bronchoscope