Residual apical space following surgery for pneumothorax increases the risk of recurrence.

Objective: Residual air spaces on chest radiographs after pneumothorax surgery are not uncommon. We aimed to study their incidence and impact on surgical outcomes.

Methods: Four hundred and twenty-seven patients [283 men and 144 women with a median age of 31 (14-96) years] underwent surgery for pneumothorax from 1995 to 2005 in a single unit.