Abstract
A 62-year-old man, who was bedridden after cerebral infarction was referred to our hospital because of recurrence of right pneumothorax. After chest tube drainage and two unsuccessful attempts at chemical pleurodesis, we performed pneumoperitoneum under local anesthesia on the 8th hospital day. Just after the pneumoperitoneum, the rise of the right hemidiaphragm was obtained, and residual intrathoracic air spaces and air leaks ware remarkably improved. Chest drainage tube was removed 14 days after the operation without any complications. We concluded that pneumoperitoneum is an effective and safe method to treat problem of prolonged air leaks with large residual intrathoracic air spaces.
