Evaluation of surgical treatment of pyothorax with special reference to the usefulness of the omental pedicle flap method.
The operative results in a series of 17 patients with pyothorax were reviewed. Of these, 10 had chronic empyema (group 1), and 7 had postoperative empyema (group 2). A single-stage operation was performed in eight patients in group 1 (decortication in six, thoracoplasty in one, omental plombage in one) and in all patients in group 2 (omentopexy in five, thoracoplasty in two). Two-stage procedures were performed in two patients in group 1. We obtained favorable postoperative results in eight patients in group 1, and in four patients in group 2. In our series, good results were not obtained by thoracoplasty alone; however, satisfactory results were achieved by short-term management in patients treated with the omental method. We think this series demonstrates the value of the omental pedicle flap method, which prevents loss of function due to a defective organ and offers excellent therapeutic results following an easy operative procedure. Further active application of this method can be expected in the management of thoracic disorders.
Shimizu
J
J
Department of Surgery, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
Oda
M
M
Hayashi
Y
Y
Murakami
S
S
Kobayashi
K
K
Arano
Y
Y
Watanabe
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004654:Empyema, Tuberculous / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009852:Omentum / Q000601:surgery*; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality