• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.540-543
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• 1998

A patient with post-pneumonectomy empyema was treated sucessfully by modification of Clagett's operation after closure of bronchopleural fistula using a transsternal, transpericardial approach. His primary disease was pulmonary tuberculosis, and he had a past history of left upper lobe lobectomy 34 year ago. Recently recurred pulmonary tuberculosis with aspergilloma in the remaining left lung, empyema with bronchopleural fistula had developed on the post-operative 4th day after completion pneumonectomy. Closed thoracostomy was done at the lowest point of the left pleural cavity immediately. The pleural cavity was irrigated with small amount of normal saline through pigtail catheter. The 2nd operation was done by closure of bronchopleural fistula using a stapler through transsternal, transpericardial approach, and then the pleural space was irrigated with normal saline with Tobramycin which shows sensitivity to isolated organism from pleural cavity. After negative conversion of pleural fluid culture, we performed modified Clagett's operation under local anesthesia. The patient had no evidence of recurrence of empyema and discharged from hospital after 10 days of the 3rd procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.862-866
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• 1989

We are experienced one case of \ulcornerinchu" method operation for chronic thoracic empyema with bronchopleural fistula. A 30-years old male was admitted to our hospital because of right thoracic empyema. In spite of pleural tube drainage, the right entire lung was poorly expanded. The right upper lobectomy and decortication for visceral side of empyema peel were done but expansion of right middle and lower lobe was not enough to fill the pleural space remained Extraperiosteal detachment without performing thoracoplasty was done as the method proposed by Kinchu. The patient recovered without significant problem and the good expansion of remained lung with acceptable pulmonary function was obtained.ined.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2007

Background: Pleural effusion develops in approximately 40% of pneumonia patients. In 5-10% of these cases, it progresses to complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE) or empyema that requires drainage. The prognostic factors of CPPE and empyema remain to be clarified. We examined the treatment outcomes of CPPE and empyema and elucidating their prognostic factors. Methods: One hundred and fifteen patients with CPPE or empyema, who were diagnosed and treated in Kyungpook National University Hospital (Daegu, Korea) between September 2001 and December 2005, were retrospectively analyzed. All the data was acquired from their chart review, and regarding treatment results, the time to defervescence and the length of hospital stay were analyzed. Results: The treatment was successful in 101 patients with a success rate of 87.8%. Multivariate analysis showed the level of pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to be a significant prognostic factor (odds ratio [OR] 7.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63 to 33.37; p=0.009). Pussy pleural fluid (r=0.236; p=0.01) and the frequency of urokinase use (r=0.257; p=0.01) correlated with the time to defervescence. However, there was no clinical factor that correlated with the length of hospital stay. Conclusion: The pleural fluid LDH level is a useful prognostic factor for monitoring treatment results of CPPE and empyema.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.571-574
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• 1993

We present a rare case of malignant lymphoma developing from the wall of chronic empyema thoracis. A 54-year old man with a 35 year history of tuberculosis empyema was admitted due to right chest pain and general weakness for 2 months. Under the impression of chronic empyema thoracis with destroyed right lung and tumor on posterior costophrenic sulcus, pleuropneumonectomy including tumor was performed as a single procedure through a right thoracotomy. The tumor arose from the thickened pleura, and it was histologically and immunologically diffuse large cell[non-cleaved] B-cell non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma [NHL]

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.35-37
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• 2015

Pleuropulmonary diseases caused by Clostridial species infections are rare, but have a mortality rate of up to 30%. Furthermore, older people are at greater risk of developing invasive clostridium infections, and the majority of reported cases of clostridium empyema have been attributed to iatrogenic trauma or aspiration. The authors report a case of spontaneous empyema caused by Clostridium perfringens. A 72-year-old woman was admitted to Kangwon National University Hospital for empyema. The patient had no history of trauma, a dental procedure, or aspiration, and was treated using empirical antibiotics and by drainage of pleural fluid. Bacteria species that cause empyema are usually not detected, but on the 4th day of admission, C. perfringens was isolated from the pleural space. The patient was continuously treated with antibiotics for C. perfringens and drainage, and was discharged 25 days after admission with almost a fully recovered status. Increased awareness of Clostrium species infection in the elderly is needed to ensure appropriate treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 1977

Mediastinal tumor are frequently encountered in clinical practice. Hanten, in 1955, reported-2 adult patients with spontaneous rupture of mediastinal dermoid cysts into the pleural cavity and also, Thompson, in 1963, reported 2 child patients with spontaneous rupture of mediastinal teratoma into the pleural cavity. Mediastinal teratomas have also been reported rupture into other contiguous structures, such as the bronchus, aorta, pericardium, SVC and esophagus. This report presents an instance of spontaneous rupture of an anterior mediastinal teratoma into the right pleural cavity of a 43 year old female. Despite variable diagnostic procedures, the true nature of the lesion was not determined until a thoracotomy and window formation was performed for adequate drainage of empyema thoracis. Removal of the teratoma and mediastinal window formation resulted in complete cure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-12
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• 1975

Four patients with postpneumonectomy empyema were treated successfully by modification of Clagett`procedure. Their primary diseases were chronic bronchiectasis, empyema with bronchopleural fisula, pulmonary tuberculosis, and pyohemothorax. The time interval between 1st and 2nd operation was 26.5 months in average. The pleural space was irrigated with various kinds of antiseptic solutions for 23.3 days in average and debrided, filled with antibiotic saline solution. After the procedure, patients had no recurrences of empyema and discharged from hospital after brief days. (averages: 15.5 days)

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.403-409
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• 1996

Background : Pleural fluid collections may pose a difficult therapeutic problem. Complete drainage of complicated effusions or empyemas and reexpansion of atelectatic lung are important in obtaining a satisfactory clinical outcome. The usual approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pleural effusion and empyema has been with needle thoracentesis and chest tube drainage. With chest tube drainage, technical difficulties and failures may occur as a result of improper tube drainage, particularly when there is a loculation or multiple and inaccesible collections. Fluoroscopic or sonographic guidance facilitates the proper tube insertion and drainage. Method : Twenty eight patients were required for tube drainage due to pleural fluid collections between January 1994 to February 1996. The author compared the results of drainage under applying each different method between blind chest tube insertion and image guided catheter insertion. Results : The conventional blind chest tube group comprised 14 patients; 6 empyema, 6 tuberculous effusion, and 2 parapneumonic effusion. The image guided catheter group of smaller french were composed of 14 patients; 2 empyema, 6 tuberculous effusion, 5 parapneumonic effusion, and 1 effusion of undetermined origin. Radiologic improvement with successful drainage was noticed in 79% with the blind chest tube group, whereas in 93% with the image guided catheter group. The complication with the latter method was unremarkable. Conclusion : Image guided catheter drainage was safe and highly successful in treating patients, not only with complicated effusion also with loculated empyema. Image guided catheter drainage offers an alternative in patients in whom closed drainage is required as the initial treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.202-206
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• 2017

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.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.3
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• pp.378-385
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• 2024

Background: Intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (IPFT) has been used as an effective agent since 1949 for managing complicated pleural effusion and empyema. Several agents, such as streptokinase, urokinase (UK), and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), have been found to be effective with variable effectiveness. However, a head-tohead controlled trial comparing the efficacy of the most frequently used agents, i.e., UK and rt-PA (alteplase) for managing complicated pleural effusion has rarely been reported. Methods: A total of 50 patients were randomized in two intervention groups, i.e., UK and rt-PA. The dose of rt-PA was 10 mg, and that of UK was 1.0 lac units. UK was given thrice daily for 2 days, followed by clamping to allow the retainment of drugs in the pleural space for 2 hours. rt-PA was instilled into the pleural space twice daily for 2 days, and intercostal drainage was clamped for 1 hour. Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled into the study, of which 84% (n=42) were males and 16% (n=8) were females. Among them, 30 (60%) patients received UK, and 20 (40%) patients received alteplase as IPFT agents. The percentage of mean±standard deviation changes in pleural opacity was -33.0%±9.9% in the UK group and -41.0%±14.9% in the alteplase group, respectively (p=0.014). Pain was the most common adverse side effect, occurring in 60% (n=18) of the patients in the UK group and in 40% (n=8) of the patients in the alteplase group (p=0.24), while fever was the second most common side effect. Patients who reported early (within 6 weeks of onset of symptoms) showed a greater response than those who reported late for the intervention. Conclusion: IPFT is a safe and effective option for managing complicated pleural effusion or empyema, and newer agents, such as alteplase, have greater efficacy and a similar adverse effect profile when compared with conventional agents, such as UK.