Service
Medical Thoracoscopy
Medical thoracoscopy — also called pleuroscopy — is a minimally invasive procedure that lets us examine the pleural space, the thin cavity between the lung and the chest wall, to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the lining of the lung.
When it is recommended
- Fluid collecting around the lung (pleural effusion) without a clear cause
- Suspected pleural infection or malignancy
- The need for an accurate, targeted pleural biopsy
- Recurrent effusions that keep returning after drainage
What it involves
Working through a single small incision under local anaesthesia and sedation, we drain the fluid, view the pleural surface directly and take precise biopsies — which gives a much higher diagnostic yield than a blind needle sample. When appropriate, we can also perform talc pleurodesis to seal the space and stop fluid from re-accumulating.
What to expect
A small chest tube usually stays in place for a day or two to drain any remaining fluid and help the lung re-expand. Most patients are monitored for a short hospital stay and recover quickly.
Why it matters
Thoracoscopy often delivers a definite diagnosis where other tests have been inconclusive, and can provide treatment in the very same procedure — frequently avoiding the need for major surgery.