Pleuropulmonary suppurations.
The neonatal pleural empyema, especially in its most serious form, following staphylococcal pneumonia, presents a surgical problem demanding immediate emergency treatment. In 1957, we proposed that after diagnosis the empyema should immediately by drained by intercostal suction although in those times drainage was only an attempt after numerous aspirations. Children treated for pleural suppuration in the past were subjected to follow-up studies over a period of 14 to 15 years. Two comparative groups of "early-drained" and "late-drained" empyema cases showed that after immediate drainage there was definite improvement. Careful study of all the data of our 273 cases (up to 1970) shows that immediate continuous suction drainage with specific antibiotic and general supportive treatment have been very successful.
D000293:Adolescent; D004653:Empyema / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000628:therapy; D013147:Spirometry; D013396:Suction; D013997:Time Factors