Diseases of the pleura such as effusion, thickening, or pneumothorax are frequently encountered in the practice of medicine. Practical Thoracoscopy presents an encyclopedic approach to the use of thoracoscopy in the diag nosis and treatment of patients with pleural disease. After an initial chapter on the history of thoracoscopy, the next three chapters of the book are devoted to the general technique of performing thoracoscopy, a topic on which the team of Dr. Boutin and his colleagues write with ample experience. In these chapters they provide detailed de scriptions of how to perform the procedure and discuss the pros and the cons of the different approaches and the different equipment available. The following chapter discusses the complications of the procedure. The next chapter discusses the role of thoracoscopy in diagnosing pleu ral effusions. My own opinion here is in general that, as long as well trained personnel are available, thoracoscopy is preferable to open pleural biopsy, because it is associated with less morbidity and mortality and can be done if necessary under local anesthesia. The following chapter is directed at using to thoracoscopy to facilitate pleurodesis for chronic pleural effusions. With Boutin's method, talc pou drage is performed during thoracoscopy, and certainly, if a thoracoscopy is used to establish the diagnosis of a malignant pleural effusion, it is appro priate to attempt to induce a pleurodesis with talc at the time of the diag nostic procedure.

There is an increasing need for medical thoracoscopy performed by pulmonologists, which may be video assisted and has the advantage of being very cost-effective. This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to thoracoscopy for pulmonologists that documents the considerable progress in endoscopic telescopes and instrumentation. Clear practical guidance is provided on technique, and diagnostic, therapeutic, and interventional applications of thoracoscopy are all carefully examined with the aid of high-quality illustrations. Although medical thoracoscopy is much less invasive than thoracotomy, complications can occur in a small number of cases; these are discussed and advice on prevention is provided. The concluding section examines the future of the field, covering developments such as ‘mini’ thoracoscopy, autofluorescence thoracoscopy, and flexi-rigid thoracoscopy.

Small Animal Laparoscopy and Thoracoscopy provides a comprehensive reference to laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, with step-by-step guidance for surgical techniques ranging from basic to advanced. • Acts as both a quick reference to specific techniques and as a comprehensive resource to small animal laparoscopy and thoracoscopy • Guides the reader through each step of the surgical techniques • Takes a clinically oriented approach, with tips on safely and quickly performing procedures throughout • Part of the Advances in Veterinary Surgery series copublished with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Foundation • Includes access to a companion website with video clips of the procedures described and the figures from the book in PowerPoint

This heavily revised second edition of this book provides a comprehensive overview of both common and rarely performed thoracic surgical techniques. Techniques covered include thymectomy, left and right lower lobectomy, rib resection for empyema, median sternotomy and lung biopsies. Emphasis is focused on the practical steps necessary to successfully and reliably perform the techniques covered, while acknowledgement is also given to individual variations in how these techniques are performed. Thoracic Surgical Techniques provides a detailed clinical illustrative guide for successfully performing a range of procedures reliably. Its large number of detailed illustrations and concise technical descriptions provides an invaluable resource for all practising and trainee thoracic surgeons.

This internationally renowned reference work is a fully updated and expanded second edition of the most comprehensive title available on pleural diseases. Building on the many strengths of the highly respected first edition, the book features a detailed yet lucid basic science section to support understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie diseases of the pleura. This is followed by a wide-ranging series of clinical chapters, discussing both familiar and less common aspects of pleural diseases. Chapters in the clinical section are written in an accessible and uniform style, making extensive use of illustrative material and covering definition, incidence and epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis, clinical presentation, investigations, treatments, possible complications and directions for future development. State-of-the-art scientific knowledge is presented at an appropriate level for the practicing clinician, and published management guidelines are included where relevant. Each chapter concludes with a summary of its 'key points', highlighting practical messages regarding patient management for the reader. Textbook of Pleural Diseases is an indispensable reference for pulmonary physicians and trainees worldwide.