An unusual case of pleural empyema in a tsunami survivor.
A 74-year-old man who survived the tsunami after the Great East Japan Earthquake, was admitted to our department because of respiratory distress. He developed aspiration pneumonia and pleural empyema of the right thorax. Decortication was performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. An unsuspected aspirated pine tree branch and pulmonary pleural fistula were discovered. The branch was removed, the pleural fistula was opened for drainage of the intrapulmonary abscess, and the patient made a good recovery.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Akita Red Cross Hospital, Akita, Japan. hidekiohta29@hotmail.com
Hideki
H
Ota
Hideki
H
Kawai
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004190:Disasters; D004322:Drainage; D055866:Earthquakes; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D015701:Near Drowning; D028223:Pinus; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000209:etiology; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D057192:Tsunamis
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents