to review our experience in treatment of patients with thoracic empyema at a teaching hospital chart of patients were retrospectively reviewed over a 72-month period. a total of 112 patients (94 men, 18 women, mean age: 39, range: 6-89 years) underwent therapeutic procedures for thoracic empyema between 2001-2006. the causes of empyema included parapneumonic empyema (60.7%), thoracic trauma (20...

introduction: the treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusion (ppe) and thoracic empyema (te) is controversial; and the choice of treatment after confirming the failure of simple drainage remains unclear. the purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of intrapleural urokinase (uk) administration and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (vats) as initial treatment options for ppe and...

A 5 year old girl with thoracic empyema developed a scarlatiniform rash and acral desquamation. Cultures from blood, throat, and pleural fluid all grew Streptococcus pyogenes, a common etiologic agent of pediatric thoracic empyema. The presence of a scarlatiniform rash and acral desquamation in children with a thoracic empyema may help identify the causative organism.

Appendicitis and thoracic empyema are rarely presented together. Herein, we present a thoracic empyema due to bacterial translocation in a patient, after she underwent appendicectomy for nonperforated acute appendicitis. Postoperative third day, thoracic empyema was revealed clinically and radiologically. Tube thoracostomy and antibiotherapy were performed. Despite all these therapy, her sympto...

To review our experience in treatment of patients with thoracic empyema at a teaching hospital chart of patients were retrospectively reviewed over a 72-month period. A total of 112 patients (94 men, 18 women, mean age: 39, range: 6-89 years) underwent therapeutic procedures for thoracic empyema between 2001-2006. The causes of empyema included parapneumonic empyema (60.7%), thoracic trauma (20...

Thoracic empyema and vertebral osteomyelitis is a rare combination. We report a case of vertebral osteomyelitis possibly caused by a progressive thoracic empyema. The causative pathogen was Escherichia coli. Computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested the diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis, confirmed by transthoracic needle aspiration and operative findings. ...

BACKGROUND The role of drainage, intrapleural fibrinolytics, and/or surgery in the management of thoracic empyema is controversial. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the operational practice of empyema management at our hospital. METHODS Between January 2001 and December 2008, all patients with thoracic empyema were retrieved. After exclusion of patients with malignant effusion, traumatic ...

BACKGROUND Thoracic empyema remains a serious problem. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for fibropurulent thoracic empyema. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-six consecutive patients with thoracic empyema resistant to medical therapy were treated by VATS from 1997 to 2006. The presence of pleural adhesion was not a contraindication. Pat...