OBJECTIVES: We developed a prosthesis for open pleurostomy cases where pulmonary decortication is not indicated, or where post-pneumonectomy space infection occurs. The open pleural window procedure not only creates a large hole in the chest wall that is shocking to patients, also results in a permanent deformation of the thorax. prosthesis for open pleurostomy is a self-retained silicone tube that requires the removal of 3 cm of one rib for insertion, and acts as a mature conventional open pleural window. Herein, we report our 13-year experience with this device in the management of different kinds of pleural empyema. METHODS: Forty-four consecutive patients with chronic empyema were treated. The etiology of empyema was diverse: pneumonia, 20; lung resections, 12 (pneumonectomies, 7; lobectomies, 4; non-anatomical, 1); mixed-tuberculous, 6; and mixed-malignant pleural effusion, 6. After debridment of both pleural surfaces, the prosthesis for open pleurostomy was inserted and attached to a small recipient plastic bag. RESULTS: Infection control was achieved in 20/20 (100%) of the parapneumonic empyemas, in 3/4 (75%) of post-lobectomies, in 6/7 (85%) of post-pneumectomies, in 6/6 (100%) of mixed-tuberculous cases, and in 4/6 (83%) of mixed-malignant cases. Lung re-expansion was also successful in 93%, 75%, 33%, and 40% of the groups, respectively CONCLUSIONS: Prosthesis for open pleurostomy insertion is a minimally invasive procedure that can be as effective as conventional open pleural window for management of chronic empyemas. Thus, we propose that the use of prosthesis for open pleurostomy should replace the conventional method.

Relata-se o caso de uma paciente de 60 anos, em menopausa há 14 anos, com presença de nódulo pulmonar à radiografia de tórax diagnosticado no seguimento pós-operatório por neoplasia de mama. A paciente tinha história de mastectomia e linfadenectomia axilar ipsilateral por carcinoma ductal invasivo de mama, assim como de hormonioterapia, quimioterapia e radioterapia adjuvante. Após nodulectomia por vídeotoracoscopia, o exame de congelação mostrou tratar-se de um hamartoma pulmonar. Estudos recentes demonstram que 75% dos pacientes que se submeteram a cirurgia por nódulos pulmonares após mastectomia curativa de câncer de mama apresentaram metástases pulmonares, 11,5% apresentaram câncer primário de pulmão e 13,5% apresentaram lesões benignas, dentre as quais o hamartoma.

We present the case of a 60-year-old female patient who had been in menopause for 14 years and presented a pulmonary nodule on chest X-ray diagnosed in the postoperative follow-up evaluation of breast cancer. The patient had a history of mastectomy and ipsilateral axillary lymphadenectomy for invasive ductal breast carcinoma, as well as of hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy. After thoracoscopic nodulectomy, the frozen section analysis revealed a pulmonary hamartoma. Recent studies show that 75% of patients who undergo surgery for pulmonary nodules after a curative mastectomy for breast cancer present lung metastases, 11.5% present primary lung cancer, and 13.5% present benign lesions, including hamartoma.