Pleural Empyema Following Liver Resection: A Rare But Serious Complication

Postoperative pleural empyema following liver resection has not been thoroughly described in the literature yet. Hence, we aimed to describe characteristics of patients experiencing this complication.

Characteristics and outcomes of 21 patients who developed pleural empyema after hepatectomy, defined as a bacteriologically proven pleural infection with clinical and biological inflammatory signs requiring antibiotherapy and thoracic drainage, from 2001 to 2014, were retrospectively analyzed.

Overall incidence of pleural empyema was 1 %. Nineteen (90.5 %) patients underwent right or extended right hepatectomy. All 21 patients developed postoperatively pleural effusion and 13 (62 %) infected abdominal collection. They had significantly more bile leakage and intra-abdominal abscesses compared to a matched control group of patients undergoing a right hepatectomy. Accidental diaphragmatic opening was observed in six patients (intra-operatively n = 4, transdiaphragmatic abdominal drainage n = 2). Treatment included percutaneous pleural drainage and in six (29 %) patients a thoracotomy for surgical drainage. Three patients (14 %) died due to sepsis and multiorgan failure. No patient treated by thoracotomy died postoperatively.

Postoperative pleural empyema is a rare but serious complication occurring mostly after right hepatectomy complicated with intraabdominal sepsis. Pleural paracentesis for diagnosis and treatment should be rapidly considered. Early thoracotomy for optimal drainage would reduce postoperative mortality.