• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.637-644
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• 1992

The incidence of thoracic empyema has been reduced with the advent of antimicrobial agents. But, there are remained many significant problems in the management of thoracic empyema because of the empyema associated with bronchopleural fistula, other complications, This is a clinical analysis of 76 cases of thoracic empyema who had been treated from August 1975 to July 1991 in the Chest Surgery Department, Chung-Ang University Hospital. This report dealed with the incidence, etiology and symptoms, duration of hospital stay, therapeutic methods and review of literatures in the aspect of thoracic empyema, The results were as follows: 1. Predominance of male [3 : 1] and right side [1.5 : 1] were recorded. 2. The main symptom was the chest pain [55%], dyspnea[36%], fever[33%], cough [23%] and others. 3, The most common predisposing causatic diseases were pulmonary tuberculosis[33%] and pneumonia[31%], but also uncertain cases were 15%.4. Searching for the causatic organisms, there were not-identified[49%], streptoccocci [17%], staphylococci[12%], mixed infection[12%], AFB bacilli[7%]. 5. The range of hospital stay was from 6 to 146 days and the average duration was 29.4 days, 6. The results were good as the methods of closed thoracostomy[52%], decortication [23%], thoracentesis[15%], rib resection and drainage[4%], open drainage[4%], pleuropneumonectomy [4%]. 7. The serious complications or mortality didn`t developed.

• 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.2 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 1969

The authors made a clinical study of 80 cases of empyema who were diagnosed and treated at department of chest surgery, St. Mary`s Hospital, Chatholic Medical College, during the period of May.l964 through April.1969 and compared the empyema of infant and children with that of adults. 1. In age and sex ditribution, infant was 6 cases, childhood 22 cases and adult 52 cases. The ratio of male to female was 2.2:1. There`s a little difference in infant-childhood but prominence of males over females in adults was being 3. 3:1, in its ratio. 2. The cardinal symptoms were cough [61.3%], fever [60.0%] and dyspnea [52.8%]. The leukocytosis were observed in 83.7% of all cases, 96.2% of infant-childhood and 76.9% of adults. The hemoglobin level showed subnormal in 82.1% of infant-childhood and in 55.8% of adults. 3. Most frequent lesion to predisposing factor of empyema was pneumonia [43.7%],being prominent in infants children [64.3%] to that of adult 4. The Pathogenic organism by culture in 75 cases of empyema were staphylococuss [48%], streptococuss[9.3%], Gram[-] bacilli [9.3%], Klebsiella[2.7%], pneumococcus[4.0%], E. coli [5.4%] and no growth 21.3% in over all. Among the cases of empyema. staphlocal origin was 62.9% in infant-childfood and 39.6% adults. 5. Staphylococci were most susceptible to erythromycin [86. 1%], Kanamycin [75.0%], albamycin [61.7%] and neomycin [52.8%] but most resistant to penicillin, Chtoramphenicol and terramycin. 6. In the treatment of empyema, of 53 cases were closed thoracotomy drainage and the remainder of cases by open thoracotomy, decortication, thoracoplasty and pleuropneumonectomy. we could attain favourable results by only the closed thoracotomy in infant-childhood, 28 cases. 7. The mortality rate was 6.3% in over all; adult 3 cases, infant and children 2 cases. 3 cases of these, were due to staphylococcal infection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.404-410
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• 2003

Different treatment options are available according to the stage and duration of the empyema. Stage I empyema (exudate stage) is treated concurrently by the administration of appropriate antibiotics and chest tube drainage. Stage III empyema (organized stage) is considered for decortication through an open thoracotomy. However, the treatment of fibrinopurulent, stage II empyema remains controversial. Recently, debridement with the use of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) has been proposed for the treatment of stage II empyema. We analyzed and report our initial experience of 5 cases of stage II empyema, treated with the use of VATS. Material and Method: Between June 2001 and February 2002, 5 patients with fibrinopurulent empyema that did not respond to antibiotics, chest tube drainage or Percutaneous Catheter drainage (PCD), and instillation of fibrinolytic agent were treated by debridement and irrigation with the use of VATS. A CT scan was performed in all patients before the operation to confirm the diagnosis of loculated empyema and to detect additional lung parenchymal diseases. Result: All 5 patients underwent successful debridement and irrigation with the use of VATS and the chest tube was inserted properly. And no patients needed conversion to open thoracotomy. The ratio of sex was 4 : 1 (male : female), the mean age was 53 years old (range, 26~73 years), the mean operative time was 73.4 minutes (range, 52~95 minutes), the mean duration of postoperative chest tube placement was 12.4 days (range, 6~19 days), and the mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 20.8 days (range, 10~36 days). In all patients, clinical symptoms such as pain and fever subsided and simple chest PA view revealed satisfactory lung expansion. No major postoperative complication was observed during the hospital course and no patient suffered from the recurrence of empyema in the follow-up period. Conclusion: We think that early operation with the use of VATS is safe and efficient for stage II empyema which did not respond to medical treatment(antibiotics and chest tube drainage), therefore, it can prevent stage II empyema from advancing to stage III, organized empyema.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.252-258
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this case report is to describe the clinical effectiveness of Korean medicine, especially Jungcheonwhadam-tang and Bopyeoyangyeong-jun, in a patient with chronic thoracic empyema while receiving treatment for this condition. Methods: The patient who had been diagnosed with empyema complained of a cough, with sputum. The patient was diagnosed with pe-ong (肺癰) based on his symptoms and x-ray findings. He was treated with a range of Korean medicines, including a herbal decoction, acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping. A visual analogue scale and percentage pain reduction scale were administered after treatment. Results: After 20 days of the treatment, the patient's cough decreased by 80%, and sputum decreased by 50%. Conclusion: According to this study, Korean medicine, including Jungcheonwhadam-tang and Bopyeoyangyeong-jun, is effective in the treatment of chronic thoracic empyema.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.215-218
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• 2003

A 65-year-old male was admitted to our hospital complaining of painful swelling of right sternocostoclavicular area. In the past history, he had no specific disease including trauma. After admission, chest CT and neck CT showed right empyema and right cervical abscess. Empyemectomy was performed through open thoracotomy and fistulous tract was detected on right parietal pleura and right sternocostoclavicular area. Osto-myelitis was also detected on right sternocostoclavicular area and removal of right cervical abscess, partial resection of proximal clavicle, resection of chondral portion of 1st rib, and partial resection of manubrium were performed. Empyema that extends from sternocostoclavicular osteomyelits, as in this case, is rare. Herein we report a case of loculated empyema with sternocostoclavicular osteomyelitis and neck abscess.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.403-410
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• 1979

A Clinical analysis of 64 patients of thoracic empyema was done who received surgical intervention at Dept. of Thoracic Surgery of the Chosun University Hospital in the period of 3 years from September 1976 to October 1979. Following was the results: 1. Seven cases [10.9%] were under the age of 15 years, 16 cases [25%] was between 15-30 years and 41 cases [64.1%] was above the age of 30 years. A proportion of children and adult was 1:8. 2. Male and female ratio was 3:1. Right and left side pleural cavity ratio was 2.4:1. 3. Predisposing factors were pneumonia [35.9%] and pulmonary tuberculosis [28.1%]. 4. Most frequently encountered symptoms were dyspnea, cough, chest pain and fever in order. 5. Etiologic organisms were confirmed in 39 cases [86.7%] which requested in 45 cases. Staphylococcal infections were 11 cases and streptococcal, pneumococcal pseudomonas infection was infected in order. 6. Pneumothorax was associated with empyema on 21 cases [32.8%]; among those 13 cases [61.9%] were tuberculous in nature. 7. Sensitivity test was revealed that Minocin was most very sensitive drug, and next Erythromycin, Gentamycin and Penbrex in order. But most resistant drugs were Penicillin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin and Tetracycline in order. 8. Treatments were combined with antibiotics therapy and several surgical procedures for empyema. 26 cases [40.6%] were treated with closed thoracotomy drainage, 17 cases [26.6%] with open thoracotomy tube drainage and 9 cases decortication and 9 cases thoracoplasty. 9. 2 death cases occurred in 64 cases of thoracic empyema, and 79.7% cases were discharged with recovery and improvement.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.63-66
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• 1996

Postoperative empyema thoracis with bronchopleural fistula (BPF) Is uncommon but serious complication. The management remains troublesome area in the field of the general thoracic surgery During the period of October 1993 to December 1994, four patients with postresectional empyema thoracic with BPF were treated consecutively in Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hosp tal. The treatment procedures include irrigation and debridement of the empyema cavity and muscle flap transposition. Follow-up periods after surgery were 4-12 months. Three patients were thought successful, one patient failed. We think that the cause of failure is muscle necrosis of rectos abdominis muscle flap due to vascular injury and infection of muscle due to residual infected debridement of empyema cavity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.845-850
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• 1993

Post-Pneumonectomy Empyema[PPE] is a relatively uncommon but serious complication. And the management of it remains a disturbing and controversial area in the field of general thoracic surgery. Many methods have described and have had varying degrees of success. For the purpose of providing the guideline for management of post-pneumonectomy empyema, we reviewed our experiences of treatment of PPE from January 1985. to December 1992. There were 17 cases, which consist 7.9% of all pneumonectomy cases for that period. There were 13 male and 4 female patients with mean age of 47.1$\pm$ 16.2 yrs old. Both chest has the same incidence. The most common disease for prior pneumonectomy was tuberculosis, but the PPE was the most frequently occurred in empyema. The duration between pneumonectomy and PPE was 44.7 $\pm$81.1 months, where 58.8% of patients occurred within 1 month. Fever was the most frequent complaint and wound dischrge was detected in less than half of patients. There were 2 in-hospital mortalities.Mostly, in 13 cases, we did Eloesser operation. Five of them could finish second Clagett procedure, but one had recurrence. Four bronchopleural fistular patients underwent 3 single stage muscle flap closure and 1 direct closure with modified Clagett procedure. None had recurrence. Mean follow-up duration is 30.9\ulcorner22.3 months. There was 1 late death which was not related to PPE but to Malignancy recurrence.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.108-112
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• 2010

Empyema after lung transplantation causes dysfunction of the allograft, and it has the potential to cause mortality and morbidity, but the technical difficulty of surgically treating this empyema makes this type of treatment unfavorable. We report here on two cases of decortication for empyema after lung transplantation.