Abstract
Lung decortication for the treatment of chronic pleural empyema remains a technically challenging procedure that is associated with bleeding and air leak. The recent advent of pure argon plasma has provided thoracic surgeons with an electrically neutral energy source for dissection and coagulation of pulmonary tissue with minimal depth of necrosis. In this article, we describe the technique of lung decortication with argon plasma energy (PlasmaJet, Plasma Surgical, Roswell, GA, USA) for the treatment of chronic pleural empyema. With appropriate application, the PlasmaJet can facilitate the removal of fibrous cortex with satisfactory hemostasis and aerostasis. Argon plasma energy can potentially be a useful adjunct in lung decortication. Controlled trials are needed to determine its role in the surgical management of advanced pleural empyema.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
