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.
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aR S Jutley is a Specialist Registrar in Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Trent region, UK
bD A Waller is a Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Leicester and Warwick Medical School, Warwick, UK
ABSTRACT