Thoracoscopic pleurodesis for pneumothorax was performed on 23 patients (16 men, 7 women), including seven with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, over a 12-month period. Single-lumen intubation with spontaneous ventilation were used making intrapleural insufflation unnecessary. Postoperatively the patients required chest drainage for 1-28 (mean 3) days and remained in hospital for 3-33 (mean 6) days. The 14 gainfully employed patients had 11-40 (mean 20) days' sick leave. Hydrothorax requiring pleurocentesis developed in one patient after thoracoscopy. Pneumothorax recurred in another immediately after removal of the chest drain, but resolved definitively after 2 more days of drainage. A patient with obstructive lung disease required ventilator management for a week after the operation, but otherwise no serious complications were observed.