[Ethiology and treatment of pleural empyema after thoracic surgery (author's transl)]

Between 1961 and 1974 a total of 29 patients have been treated for empyema after lung resection. Pneumonectomy for bronchus carcinoma had been previously performed in 19 patients, partial resection of the lung in ten. In the majority of cases a technical insufficiency was at last partially responsible for appearance of empyema. Differentiation between empyema after pneumonectomy and empyema in patients with residual lung parenchyma has proved to be of advantage. As to predisposing factors, treatment and prognosis of empyema in cases with residual parenchyma is comparable to regular pulmonary empyema. Empyema after pneumectomy however is different in treatment and prognosis. Irrigation of the infected thoracic cavity either by repeated punction and/or by continous through-drainage is helpful and improves the otherwise poor prognosis.