Surgical and nonsurgical outcomes for treating a cohort of empyema thoracis patients: A monocenteric retrospective cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundThere are several studies reporting high success rates for surgical and nonsurgical treatments of empyema separately. The aim of current retrospective cohort study is to find the best treatment in low socio-economic areas.Material and methodsA total of 149 patients were treated in the referring hospital from January 2002 to December 2008. The current retrospective cohort study was carried out by nonsurgical (medically & thoracenthesis & chest tube drainage with or without fibrinolytic agents) and surgical (VATS &open thoracotomy decortication methods) procedures in single center performed in thoracic and respiratory medicine wards. The independent t-test on demographic data was the statistical test tool.ResultsThe complete cure and mortality rates for 130 patients were 27% (35 out of 130 patients) and 0.3% (1 out of 130 patients), respectively. Thirteen out of 149 patients that were estimated to be at stage II underwent VATS decortication. The results showed zero success rates for this procedure which was then converted to open thoracotomy decortication. And, 113 patients who underwent thoracotomy decortication had a cure rate of 96.4% (109 patients) and mortality rate of 1.8% (2 patients). Four (3.5%) patients needed thoracoplasty, 2 died and 2 (1.8%) needed open window thoracostomy resulted in empyema necessitans that remained uncured. Total hospitalization lengths for the patients treated by tube thoracostomy and thoracotomy decortication were (15.4 ± 2.1) and (6.2 ± 1.8) days (P < 0.001), respectively. The success rates between surgical and nonsurgical treatments were 98.2% and 27.1%. And, the difference between them was significant (P < 0.001).ConclusionBecause of the advanced stages of empyema in our patients, thoracotomy decortication procedure is often the first rank choice with success rates higher than nonsurgical techniques. However, nowadays, the success rates of nonsurgical and VATS management of empyema thoracis are mostly reported in the literature.

Trichosporon Species and Fusarium Species as a Cause of Empyema Thoracis in a Diabetic Patient

“…Treatment of empyema could be surgical with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open thoracotomy and nonsurgical such as thoracentesis and chest tube drainage with or without fibrinolytic agents [15]. Despite receiving surgery and pleural irrigation with antifungal agents the crude mortality rate has been reported to be as higher as 73% in fungal empyema [2].…”

Multimodal treatment for acute empyema based on the patient’s condition, including patients who are bedridden: A single center retrospective study

“…Computed tomography (CT) guided drainage has been selected more often as additional treatment for elderly patients than surgery because of the poor general condition of these patients. Sokouti et al [6] found success rates of surgical and nonsurgical treatment of 98.2% and 27.1%, respectively. The mortality rate of surgical cases after the failure of a single percutaneous drainage procedure after insertion of a chest tube was 1.8% [6].…”

“…Sokouti et al [6] found success rates of surgical and nonsurgical treatment of 98.2% and 27.1%, respectively. The mortality rate of surgical cases after the failure of a single percutaneous drainage procedure after insertion of a chest tube was 1.8% [6]. To our best knowledge, no reports have been published on repeated percutaneous drainage for acute empyema.…”