Pneumolysis

Pneumolysis (from ancient Greek πνεῦμα , "air" and λύσις "( det ) solution") or pleurolysis is an operative method in which a lung with unilateral tuberculosis is separated from the chest wall in order to create a pneumothorax . This should bring the lungs to a standstill and thus contribute to the healing of the tuberculosis.

The method was introduced in 1891 by the French surgeon Théodore Tuffier (1857–1929). But it was of little use. On the contrary: In order to maintain the desired collapse of tubercular upper lobe caverns, the extrapleural or extrafascial cavity was filled with paraffin (oil seal) or polyethylene (perlon seal). Complications and the carcinogenicity of the filling material soon led to its removal in many cases. In individual cases the seals remained and after 30 to 40 years led to infections or malignant neoplasms .

After the Second World War, when antibiotic treatment of tuberculosis with streptomycin (around 1945) and para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) (from 1948) became possible, this surgical method was gradually discontinued.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Barbara I. Tshisuaka: Tuffier, Théodore. In: Werner E. Gerabek , Bernhard D. Haage, Gundolf Keil , Wolfgang Wegner (eds.): Enzyklopädie Medizingeschichte. De Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, ISBN 3-11-015714-4 , p. 1424.
2. ↑ A. Stobernack et al. a .: Late complications after extrapleural pneumolysis due to tuberculosis. In: Chirurg , 1997 Sep, 68 (9), pp. 921-927, PMID 9410683 .

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !