This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Joel Dunning John Au Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Srivastava, V. Articles by Au, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Srivastava, V. Articles by Au, J.

Does video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication in advanced malignant mesothelioma improve prognosis?

^a Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, UK
^b Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK

*Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +447801548122.

E-mail address: joeldunning{at}doctors.org.uk (J. Dunning).

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: Does video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication in advanced malignant mesothelioma improve prognosis? Altogether more than 25 papers were found using the reported search, of which five represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. We conclude that VATS decortication is useful as a palliative measure in advanced malignant mesothelioma. VATS provides a diagnostic tool, yielding tissue for histological diagnosis. Secondly, drainage of effusion and pleurectomy/decortication improves the quality of life and may increase survival as well.

Key Words: Evidence based medicine; Mesothelioma; VATS; Survival; Prognosis