Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy for tuberculous pleurisy under local anesthesia

We directly examined the thoracic cavity by thoracoscopy under local anesthesia, performed pleural biopsy, and made a definitive pathological diagnosis in tuberculous pleurisy. We performed a retrospective study of 32 patients who had been bacteriologically and pathologically diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy by thoracoscopy under local anesthesia in our hospital between January 1995 and November 2004. Bacteriological examination of pleural fluids obtained by thoracentesis before examination showed that one sample was polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive, and 5 samples were culture-positive. Bacteriological examination of pleural fluids obtained by thoracoscopy revealed that 2 samples were PCR-positive, and 5 samples culture-positive, including 2 preoperatively positive samples. The adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels ranged from 18.3 to 279.0 U/L, with a mean of 72.9 U/L, including 50 U/L or less in 5 patients and 35 U/L or less in 3 patients. Thirty patients (93.8%) were successfully diagnosed by pleural biopsy with pathological examination, and 21 (65.6%) of them by pathological examination alone. In patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy, thoracoscopic pleural biopsy under local anesthesia should be actively performed, because the technique has a high diagnostic rate, and can be easily and safely performed.