Early Aggressive Surgical Treatment of Multiloculated Empyema.
10.5090/kjtcs.2017.50.3.202
- Author:
Jong Hyun BAEK
1
;
Young Uk LEE
;
Seok Soo LEE
;
Jang Hoon LEE
;
Jung Cheul LEE
;
Myeong Su KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Korea. heartljh@yumail.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Empyema;
Infection;
Pleural disease
- MeSH:
Abscess;
Alcoholism;
Diabetes Mellitus;
Drainage;
Emergencies;
Empyema*;
Exudates and Transudates;
Humans;
Incidence;
Length of Stay;
Lung Abscess;
Pleural Diseases;
Retrospective Studies
- From:The Korean Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2017;50(3):202-206
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Empyema is the collection of purulent exudate within the pleural space. Overall, 36%–65% of patients with empyema cannot be treated by medical therapy alone and require surgery. Multiloculated empyema is particularly difficult to treat with percutaneous drainage. Therefore, we describe our experiences with early aggressive surgical treatment for rapid progressive multiloculated empyema. METHODS: From January 2001 to October 2015, we retrospectively reviewed 149 patients diagnosed with empyema who received surgery. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether they underwent emergency surgery or not. We then compared surgical outcomes between these groups. RESULTS: The patients in group A (emergency surgery, n=102) showed a more severe infectious state, but a lower complication rate and shorter length of hospital stay. The incidence of lung abscess was higher in group A, and abscesses were associated with diabetes and severe alcoholism. CONCLUSION: Early aggressive surgical treatment resulted in good surgical outcomes for patients with rapid progressive multiloculated empyema. Furthermore, we suspect that the most likely causes of multiloculated empyema are lung abscesses found in patients with diabetes mellitus as well as severe alcoholism.
