Surgery
Volume 23, Issue 11 , Pages 398-400, 1 November 2005

Empyema thoracis

  • RS Jutley

      Affiliations

    • R S Jutley is a Specialist Registrar in Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Trent region, UK
    • ,
  • DA Waller

      Affiliations

    • D A Waller is a Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Leicester and Warwick Medical School, Warwick, UK

Abstract 

Empyema thoracis (pleural empyema) requires a multidisciplinary approach including physicians, surgeons, microbiologists and radiologists. The disease has a significant morbidity and mortality and can be a diagnostic and management challenge. In most cases, it starts as a self-limiting parapneumonic effusion, but can rapidly progress to a complicated multiloculated collection with a trapped lung amenable only to surgery. This contribution discusses the pathophysiology of this disease, as well as medical and surgical management.

Keywords:  chest surgery , parapneumonic , effusion , decortication , video-assisted thoracic surgery , thoracotomy , rib resection

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PII: S0263-9319(06)70157-0

doi:10.1383/surg.2005.23.11.398

Surgery
Volume 23, Issue 11 , Pages 398-400, 1 November 2005

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