PMID: 3757560Oct 1, 1986Paper

Reappraisal of empyema thoracis. Surgical intervention when the duration of illness is unknown

Chest
E L HooverP Finch

Abstract

The timing of surgical treatment of empyema remains controversial. Traditionally, thoracotomy is performed either within three weeks of diagnosis or delayed until presumed pleurodesis occurs. Often, these patients are moribund and the duration of illness impossible to determine. We report our surgical results in seven patients with a deteriorating clinical course and multiple loculations which persisted after tube thoracostomy and would not have responded to multiple thoracostomies. Five patients required decortication. One required lobectomy for an abscess which developed on the contralateral side six weeks after discharge. There were no deaths or recurrences of empyema. Average times from surgery to tube removal and to discharge were six to 12 days, respectively. We conclude that one can safely and cost-effectively treat these patients surgically even when the duration of illness and presence of pleurodesis are unknown, and that the postoperative course will be uncomplicated.

References

Apr 1, 1977·American Journal of Surgery·M M ShermanR L Berger

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Citations

Jan 20, 2006·Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B·Shi-ping Luh, Hui-ping Liu
Sep 1, 2005·Journal of Minimal Access Surgery·S N OakA Ahmed
Jun 11, 1992·Chest·C A ReadH Yeager
Jun 1, 1995·Chest·G P LeMenseS A Sahn
Jan 1, 1996·Chest·R J LandreneauK S Naunheim
Aug 1, 1995·Journal of Pediatric Surgery·M StovroffR R Ricketts
Sep 1, 1993·Journal of Pediatric Surgery·J A Kern, B M Rodgers
Oct 12, 1999·Clinics in Chest Medicine·J E Heffner
Nov 1, 1988·The Annals of Thoracic Surgery·E L HooverJ N Cunningham
Mar 1, 1991·The Annals of Thoracic Surgery·P D Ridley, M V Braimbridge
Apr 14, 2012·Asian Cardiovascular & Thoracic Annals·Magdi Ibrahim Ahmad Muhammad
May 1, 1992·Disease-a-month : DM·R W Light

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