Abstract
Precise detection of a lesion leaking air during thoracoscopic surgery is sometimes difficult. We used a small electret condenser microphone to detect points of air leakage. To our knowledge this is the first report of the use of a microphone for detecting air leakage in thoracoscopy. The microphone is small enough to pass through an 11.5-mm trocar. The sound of leaking air can be detected by passing the microphone over the surface of the lung under thoracoscopic observation. We performed 30 thoracoscopic operations for spontaneous pneumothorax and 1 for giant bulla using this microphone system. The sound picked up by the microphone was helpful for discovering ruptured blebs in two cases and in checking suture lines of a resected bulla in one case. This small condenser microphone system proved useful in detecting some sources of air leakage.
