title: Empyema due to ventriculopleural shunt.
abstract: Empyema developing seven weeks after craniotomy in a 62-year-old black woman with an ipsilateral ventriculopleural (V-PL) shunt is described. Infection of the pleural space presumably resulted from transfer of organisms from a proximal V-PL shunt infection to the thorax. Empyema resulting from V-PL shunt infection has not previously been reported. Pleural effusions in patients with V-PL shunts must be considered as a potential site of infection with possible development of empyema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queens Hospital Center Affiliation of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iosif
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleischman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chitkara
mesh_terms: D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004653:Empyema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology