title: Thoracic empyema in high-risk patients: conservative management or surgery?
abstract: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 119 patients who were treated for empyema thoracis from 1999 to 2007. There were 87 men with a mean age of 63.9 years (range, 19-79 years) and 32 women with a mean age 55.2 years (range, 26-78 years). The empyema was right-sided in 73 patients and left-sided in 46. The etiology was parapneumonic in 43.7% of cases, postoperative in 42.0%, posttraumatic in 11.8%, and due to other causes in 2.5%. Eight (6.7%) patients underwent surgery on admission because of unstable clinical status; all 8 survived. Fibrinolysis was used in 111 (93.3%) patients; of these, 88 (73.9%) were successfully treated by intrapleural urokinase instillation, and 23 (19.4%) failed treatment and underwent surgery. All 88 patients who had successful fibrinolytic therapy survived, they accounted for 1.8% of the morbidity. In the 23 patients who underwent surgery after failed treatment, there were 3 deaths, accounting for 2.7% overall mortality and 6.3% morbidity. Treating thoracic empyema in patients with significant comorbidities is challenging. Intrapleural urokinase administration might be beneficial in high-risk patients, but in those without significant comorbidities, early surgery may be considered.
authors: Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. fredricag@asaf.health.gov.il
authors: Ilan
authors: I
authors: Bar
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Stav
authors: Gershon
authors: G
authors: Fink
authors: Amir
authors: A
authors: Peer
authors: Tsilia
authors: T
authors: Lazarovitch
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Papiashvilli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator