Abstract
Aim: Tube drainage is the primary method in the treatment of empyema with 80-90% cure rates. In patients with empyema who have not received adequate treatment, the result is pleural fibrosis. Decortication is the only treatment option for chronic empyema that has caused fibrothorax that prevents lung expansion. In our study, we aimed to determine the relations between etiological base of the disease, the consequences and the decision of decortication timing. Methods: The patients who were admitted and hospitalized with pleural effusion between 1994 and 2000 were included in the study. We examined the duration of pretreatment, pleural thickness and the duration of postoperative hospital stay of these cases, with who have undergone decortication surgery. Results: A total of 82 cases of decortication were enrolled, which consisted of 61 male (74.3%) and 21 female (25.6%). The cases were examined in two groups: tuberculosis [12 (25%) empyema, 27 (56.3%) tuberculous pachypleuritis, 9 (18.8%) pleurisy + parenchymal involvement] and non-tuberculosis [2 (5.9%) trauma, 5 (14.7%) pneumonia + empyema, 23 (%) 67.6% empyema, 4 (11.8%) hydatid cyst]. The effects of preoperative treatment durations on the thickness of the decortication materials and the duration of postoperative hospital stay were investigated. The preoperative treatment period of the tuberculosis group was significantly higher, the decortication pleural thicknesses were found to be greater. (p<0.01) There was no statistically significant difference in the duration of postoperative hospital stay between the tuberculosis and other group (p>0.05). Conclusion: In cases that do not respond to closed tube drainage and appropriate antibiotic therapy, decortication should be performed without delay considering the etiological factors. If decortication is performed earlier than 2 weeks, the visceral pleura can be easily separated; parietal decortication is rarely needed which might be an advantage of the procedure.
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