Objective: To assess recurrence, complication after surgery, hospital stay, and cost-effective in primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) patients of Thai urban population that underwent video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open thoracotomy (OT).

Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective cohort between 2006 and 2019. Seventy-five patients were diagnosed as PSP. All medical records were collected from Vajira Hospital. All various factors were analyzed to evaluate an outcome between the two groups.

Results: Fifty-four patients were treated by VATS, whereas 21 patients were treated by OT. The mean follow-up time was 26 months. There was no difference in term of gender, indication of surgery, and cost during hospital stay between the two groups. Length of hospital stay were shorter in VATS groups (9.5 days versus 15 days, p=0.006). The operative time was longer and more blood loss in OT groups compared to VATS groups (180 minutes versus 70 minutes, p<0.001 and 100 mL versus 30 mL, p<0.001). In post-operative outcome, there was no difference in terms of recurrence, pneumonia, and re-operation.

Conclusion: VATS is associated with shorter length of hospital stay and less blood loss with no difference of cost effective, recurrence, and postoperative outcome in PSP patients.

Keywords: Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery, Pneumothorax, Open thoracotomy

DOI: doi.org/10.35755/jmedassocthai.2021.01.11510

Received 10 June 2020 | Revised 3 August 2020 | Accepted 17 August 2020