Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Continuous pleural lavage may decrease postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing thoracotomy for stage 2

Ari Mennander1, Jari Laurikka, Pekka Kuukasjärvi

  • 1Heart Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University, 33521 Tampere, Finland. ari.mennander@pshp.fi

European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery : Official Journal of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
|December 29, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Ceramide-phospholipid risk score associates with cardiovascular events and is lowered by atorvastatin, simvastatin and anti-PCSK9 treatments.

Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology·2026
Same author

Prognostic implications of intraventricular conduction disorders for the risk of sudden cardiac death in cardiac patients.

Heart rhythm·2026
Same author

Defining optimal muscle surface area thresholds for sarcopenia-related mortality after cardiovascular interventions.

Scandinavian journal of surgery : SJS : official organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society·2025
Same author

Effects of physiotherapy on breathing cycle after thoracic surgery measured with impedance pneumography in a prospective clinical comparison.

General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery·2025
Same author

Severity of Ascending Aortic Degeneration in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Cureus·2025
Same author

Ticagrelor and Aspirin or Aspirin Alone after Coronary Surgery for Acute Coronary Syndrome.

The New England journal of medicine·2025

Postoperative continuous pleural lavage (PCPL) effectively clears pleural pus after thoracotomy for stage 2 empyema. This method is safe, does not prolong hospitalization, and reduces mortality in high-risk patients.

Area of Science:

  • Thoracic Surgery
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Stage 2 pleural empyema requires surgical intervention, often thoracotomy with decortication and drainage.
  • Persistent opaque pleural discharge post-surgery indicates treatment failure and increased morbidity.
  • Identifying effective methods to manage residual empyema is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of postoperative continuous pleural lavage (PCPL) on length of stay and morbidity.
  • To assess PCPL's efficacy in clearing persistent opaque pleural discharge after thoracotomy.
  • To identify risk factors associated with persistent empyema post-surgery.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 89 patients undergoing thoracotomy for stage 2 pleural empyema.

Related Experiment Videos

  • PCPL administered to patients with persistent opaque pleural discharge post-decortication and irrigation.
  • Comparison of outcomes, including length of stay and re-thoracotomy rates, between patients with and without PCPL.

    • Main Results:

    • 13.5% of patients (12/89) had persistent opaque pleural discharge requiring PCPL.
    • Risk factors like dental caries and alcohol abuse predicted persistent discharge (P<0.05).
    • PCPL was associated with reduced need for re-thoracotomy and lower postoperative mortality (P<0.05).

    Conclusions:

    • PCPL is a feasible and effective method for clearing pleural pus in stage 2 empyema.
    • PCPL does not prolong hospitalization and may reduce mortality in selected patients.
    • The study recommends PCPL for patients with fibrinopurulent empyema post-thoracotomy.