Management of Pleural Infection: A Historical Review and Updates

Abstract

Pleural infection, including empyema, continues to have a high morbidity. A deep understanding of the pathobiology and appropriate medical management is crucial to avoid complications and progression to the need for surgery. Over the last several decades, we have learned much about the pathophysiology, microbiology, and epidemiology of pleural infections. Management has changed considerably over the years with more recent clinical practices favoring minimally invasive interventions over surgery. Here we discuss in detail the pathophysiology of parapneumonic effusions as they progress from uncomplicated parapneumonic effusions to empyema and how this relates to their diagnosis and management. We review the microbiology and how it relates to recommended empiric antibiotic regimens. As intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy has become the cornerstone of management, we outline the literature on this topic dating back decades up to the most recent clinical trials and give our recommendations for management based on the literature.