ObjectiveTo study the clinical effect of improved decortication in treatment of tuberculous empyema as well as the safety of operation.MethodsEighty-two cases who diagnosed as tuberculous empyema by pathology and operation from January 2007 to September 2010 were selected including improved decortication 44 cases,total empyema decortication 28 cases,thoracoplasty 10 cases.The operation time,peri-operative bleeding,postoperative complication and lung function recovery after 6 months operation were followed-up.ResultsAll the patients were in good recovery and there was no death in the operation for 1 year.The peri-operative bleeding in improved decortication was less than that in total empyema decortication and thoracoplasty [(56.23 ± 15.56) ml vs. (78.65 ± 23.14) and (66.92 ± 19.83) ml],and there was significant difference among them(P＜ 0.01 ).There was no postoperative complication in improved decortication,but 2 cases (7.1％,2/28) of partial lung recruitment maneuvers in total empyema decortication,1 case ( 10.0％,1/10) of extensive staxis with selective surgery in thoracoplasty.The proportion of forced vital capacity (FVC),forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1),peak expiratory flow (PEF) turning to normal after 6 months operation in improved decortication [95.5％(42/44),93.2％(41/44),97.7％(43/44)]were higher than those in total empyema decortication[ 75.0％ (21/28 ),78.6％ (22/28),85.7％ (24/28) ]and thoracoplasty [ 80.0％ (8/10),90.0％ (9/10),80.0％ ( 8/10) ],and there was significant difference among them (P ＜0.01).There was no significant difference in the operation time among them(P ＞0.05).ConclusionImproved decortication has remarkable superiority in curing tuberculous empyema especially it is small in traumatic with less blood loss,fewer postoperative complications,lung function recovery rapidly after operation.