Related Experiment Videos
Guided percutaneous drainage for posttraumatic empyema thoracis
E F Block1, O C Kirton, J Windsor
1Department of Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33101.
Surgery
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Guided percutaneous drainage (GPD) effectively treats posttraumatic empyema thoracis, matching decortication outcomes. This approach avoids intensive care unit stays and reduces hospital days for empyema patients.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Posttraumatic empyema thoracis management often involves guided percutaneous drainage (GPD) or decortication.
- The comparative efficacy of GPD versus decortication for posttraumatic empyema thoracis has not been previously evaluated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the equivalence of guided percutaneous drainage (GPD) to decortication in managing posttraumatic empyema thoracis.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective review was conducted on 12 patients treated with GPD and nine patients treated with decortication.
- Patient records were analyzed to compare treatment outcomes, including need for subsequent procedures, loculation characteristics, and post-operative care requirements.
Main Results:
- No GPD-treated patients required subsequent thoracotomy, unlike decortication.
- Patients undergoing decortication had higher rates of sterile purulent collections and received more intrapleural analgesia.
- Decortication patients required intensive care unit monitoring, whereas GPD patients did not, and many GPD patients were discharged with drainage catheters.
Conclusions:
- Guided percutaneous drainage (GPD) demonstrates equivalent efficacy to decortication for posttraumatic empyema thoracis.
- GPD avoids intensive care unit stays and reduces the need for pain management, potentially decreasing inpatient hospital days.
- GPD is a viable and effective first-line treatment for posttraumatic empyema thoracis.