Video-assisted thoracoscopic treatment of pleural empyema. A newtherapeutic approach

Abstract

Pleural empyema is a disease which is not always recognized. Despiteconsecutive treatment and antibiotics its mortality rate is still high,especially in older patients with concomitant disease or in the case ofdelayed treatment. We report our experience with early video-assistedthoracoscopic surgery of pleural empyema in 13 patients, where chest tubedrainage had failed. The clinical symptoms of empyema did not exceed 14days, bacteriologic cultures were positive in 62%. In all patients thefever disappeared within 1 to 5 days (mean 3.5) post- operatively and theyremained in hospital for an average of 11.5 days after video-assistedthoracoscopic surgery. Pulmonary function tests 6 months later revealednormal values without a substantial loss of lung volumes. No relapse ofempyema occurred.