Resumen

SALGUERO A, JORGE et al. Therapy of empyema: Retrospective review of 77 patients. Rev Chil Cir [online]. 2009, vol.61, n.3, pp. 223-228. ISSN 0718-4026.  doi: 10.4067/S0718-40262009000300003.

Background: Empyema can cause significant medical problems, despite the advances in antimicrobial and surgical treatments. Aim: To compare the results of different therapeutic approaches to empyema. Material and Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 77 patients with empyema (aged 53 ± 20 years, 48 males) treated in a clinical hospital between 1994 and 2007. Results: In 74% of patients the cause of empyema was pneumonía. Thirty two were initially managed with percutaneous pleurostomy. Seven of these required and additional intervention due to residual empyema. Eleven patients were managed with open thoracotomy and 34 with video assisted thoracoscopy. Complications for percutaneous pleurostomy, open thoracotomy and video assisted thoracoscopy were 34, 36 and 12% respectively. The figures for mortality were 25, 0 and 0% respectively. Patients subjected to video assisted thoracoscopy required less days with a pleural tube than those subjected to percutaneous pleurostomy or open thoracotomy (5,5-14,3 and 12,4 days respectively). Conclusions: Video assisted thoracoscopy had the best therapeutic results for empyema in this series of patients.

Palabras clave : Empyema; thoracoscopy; thoracotomy.