Yeungnam Univ J Med.  1986 Dec;3(1):87-94. 10.12701/yujm.1986.3.1.87.

Clinical Study of Empyema Thoracis

• Kim TN
• Lee YH
• Chung JC
• Kim CS

• KMID: 2373869
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.1986.3.1.87

Abstract

Empyema thoracis following pneumonia, intra-abdominal pathology, trauma, and surgical procedure continues to be a source of major morbidity and mortality. Thirty seven adult and eleven pediatric patients with empyema thoracis were treated at the University of Yeungnam Medical Center from May 1983 to November 1986. Age distribution ranged from 6 months to 72 years and showed a double-peaked curve with the highest incidence between 36 and 65 years and below 15 years of age. There were male predominance in patients above 16 years of age. The most common predisposing factors was impaired consciousness due to either alcoholism or head injury. The causes of empyema were as follows: pneumonia 64.6%, ling abscess 6.4%, intraabdominal pathology 6.4%, and surgical procedure 6.4%. The cardinal symptoms were fever, cough, chest pain, dyspnea, sputum, weight loss, anorexia, and night sweat in orders. Culture of empyema fluid were positive in 50% of patients. The isolated organisms were Gram-negative bacilli 33.3%, staphylococcus aureus 25%, and streptococcus 25%. The patients received antibiotics in conjunction with various invasive procedures: chest tube drainage 77.1%, decortications 6.3%, and repeated thoracentesis 10.3%. There were 4 deaths, 1 child and 3 adults, with an overall mortality of 8.3%.

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Adult
Age Distribution
Alcoholism
Anorexia
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Causality
Chest Pain
Chest Tubes
Child
Clinical Study*
Consciousness
Cough
Craniocerebral Trauma
Drainage
Dyspnea
Empyema*
Fever
Humans
Incidence
Male
Mortality
Pathology
Pneumonia
Sputum
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus
Sweat
Thoracentesis
Weight Loss
Anti-Bacterial Agents