Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion and Empyema: Pleural Decortication and Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery

Overview

Journal Curr Infect Dis Rep

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2008 May 31

PMID 18510887

Citations 2

Authors

Shi-Ping Luh

Gwo-Jong Hsu

Chen Cheng-Ren

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema, in which the fluid becomes more exudative, develops in 10% to 20% of patients with parapneumonic effusions. Early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies are required. New treatment strategies such as fibrinolytic therapy and decortication or debridement through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, have changed the choice of treatment for different stages of empyema or complicated pleural effusion. This review discusses the definition, clinical presentations, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions, focusing on the value and comparison of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery decortication and fibrinolytic therapies.

Citing Articles

A meta-analysis of video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication versus open thoracotomy decortication for patients with empyema.

Pan H, He J, Shen J, Jiang L, Liang W, He J J Thorac Dis. 2017; 9(7):2006-2014.

PMID: 28840000 PMC: 5542928. DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2017.06.109.

Performance of procalcitonin in diagnosing parapneumonic pleural effusions: A clinical study and meta-analysis.

He C, Wang B, Li D, Xu H, Shen Y Medicine (Baltimore). 2017; 96(33):e7829.

PMID: 28816982 PMC: 5571719. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000007829.

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