Pneumonolysis

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Pneumonolysis is a medical procedure that was historically used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis. The procedure involves the separation of the lung from the chest wall to allow the lung to collapse. This collapse was intended to rest the lung and allow it to heal from the tuberculosis infection.

Types of Pneumonolysis

There are two main types of pneumonolysis:

• Extrapleural pneumonolysis: This involves the separation of the parietal pleura from the chest wall.
• Intrapleural pneumonolysis: This involves the separation of the visceral pleura from the lung.

Historical Context

Pneumonolysis was first introduced in the early 20th century as a treatment for tuberculosis, a disease that was rampant before the advent of effective antibiotics. The procedure was based on the idea that collapsing the lung would reduce the oxygen supply to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, thereby inhibiting their growth.

Procedure

The procedure was typically performed under general anesthesia. In extrapleural pneumonolysis, a surgical incision was made, and the parietal pleura was carefully separated from the chest wall. In intrapleural pneumonolysis, the visceral pleura was separated from the lung tissue. The lung would then collapse, and the patient would be monitored for signs of improvement.

Complications

Pneumonolysis was associated with several complications, including:

• Infection
• Hemorrhage
• Pneumothorax
• Empyema

Decline in Use

The use of pneumonolysis declined significantly with the development of effective antibiotic treatments for tuberculosis, such as streptomycin, isoniazid, and rifampicin. These medications proved to be much more effective and less invasive than surgical interventions.

See Also

• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Thoracoplasty
• Antibiotics
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis