ReviewJournal of visualized surgery2026
Surgical strategies for spontaneous pneumothorax: a narrative review.
Review in Journal of visualized surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objective: Spontaneous pneumothorax encompasses both primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP), which differ in etiology and recurrence risk. Surgical management aims to control air leaks and prevent recurrence while minimizing invasiveness. This narrative review synthesizes current strategies, adjunctive methods, and special scenarios, and outlines future perspectives. Methods: A narrative search of PubMed and major thoracic surgery journals was conducted for English-language publications published between January 1991 and January 2026, focusing on surgical indications; minimally invasive approaches [multiportal and uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and awake VATS]; adjuncts to reduce recurrence; and emerging technologies. For SSP, the scope was limited to lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS), and thoracic endometriosis-related pneumothorax (TERP). Key clinical guidelines and pivotal studies were prioritized. Key Content and Findings: For PSP, stapled bullectomy remains the standard approach and is frequently combined with pleural reinforcement. Staple-line coverage with absorbable sheets has been associated with lower recurrence rates. Mechanical pleurodesis provides recurrence control comparable to pleurectomy in selected cases, whereas pleurectomy carries higher morbidity. Similarly, chemical pleurodesis has shown benefit as an adjunctive strategy. SSP requires individualized surgical planning based on the underlying disease; awake VATS may be considered for frail patients when feasible. In LAM and BHDS, total pleural covering has shown favorable outcomes, and sirolimus may reduce recurrence after surgery in LAM. Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) demonstrates ergonomic and precision advantages in thoracic surgery, but its role in spontaneous pneumothorax remains to be defined. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based imaging remains investigational without established surgical applications. Conclusions: Contemporary surgery for spontaneous pneumothorax is defined by minimally invasive techniques supported by recurrence-preventive adjuncts tailored to patient characteristics. Evidence supports coverage techniques and selective chemical or mechanical pleurodesis, whereas disease-specific strategies remain essential for LAM, BHDS, and TERP.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.