Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax: Results of Surgical Treatment and Analysis of Risk Factors for Post-Operative Recurrence—A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Background/Objectives: Several studies previously investigated the risk factors for post-operative recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), with conflicting results. Identification of patients at greater risk of recurrence may help optimize therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study is to identify potential predictors of post-operative recurrence of PSP and compare our results with the available literature. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent surgery for PSP at our institution between January 2005 and December 2022. We analyzed data on patient characteristics, surgical details, method of pleurodesis and perioperative outcomes and used Cox regression analysis to identify predictors post-operative ipsilateral recurrence. Results: 226 patients were included in our study, of which 29 (12.8%) developed an ipsilateral recurrence of pneumothorax. A positive history of previous contralateral episodes (37.9% vs. 19.3%, p = 0.03) and the positioning of larger chest drains after the procedure (65.5% vs. 44.8%, p = 0.032) were more frequent in the recurrence group. At multivariable regression analysis, a history of previous contralateral pneumothorax was found to be the only independent predictive factor of pneumothorax recurrence (HR 2.16, 95% C.I. 1.001–4.662, p = 0.049). Conclusions: Previous contralateral pneumothorax is a risk factor for the development of post-operative recurrences.