Kimographing the curve of intrapleural pressure in the course of the artificial pneumothorax treatment, the auther tried to investigate the relationship between in-trapleural pressure and the complications in the pneumothorax treatment such as pleural effusion, atelectasis and unexpandable lung. Five types of the curve were obtained according the forms and the amplitude of intrapleural pressure. In the most of the unexpandabl lung, the amplitude of the intrapleural pressure curve remained within 5cm/H
2O and the maximal negativ pressure was within -10cm/H
2O, while in the majority of the unexpandable lung, the amplitude exceeded over 5cm/H
2O and the maximal negative pressure over -10cm/H
2O. No correlation was found between the existence of sinus effusion and the amplitude of this curve, but in many cases when the pleural effusion in large amount persisted over six months and atelectasis was complicated, the amplitude of the intrapleural pressure curve exceeded over 5cm/H
2O. So the disturved distensibility of the lung was assumed. The duration of the pneumothorax treatment showed no correlation with the amplitude of the intrapleural pressure curve, so the artificial pneumothorax treatment was succeeded in the majority of the cases without atelectasis, large amount of pleural effusion or the unexpandable lung even after over three years, so far as the amplitude remained within 5cm/H
2O. If the amplitude of the intrapleural pressure curve exceeded over 5cm/H
2O and inspiratory maximal negative pressure over-10cm/H
2O, the succession of the pneumothorax treatment should be reflected. This was proved by the cases in which I followed to study on the reexpansion of the lung roentgenologically over six months after the cessation of the pneumothorax treatment, comparing with the intr apleural pressure curve immediately before the cessation of the pneumothorax treatment.
From above mentioned, Kimographing of the intrapleural pressure curve could be considered as a indicator in the course of the pneumothorax treatment.
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