Surgical Treatment Of Pleural Empyema Research Articles

ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ УЛУЧШЕНИЯ РЕЗУЛЬТАТОВ ЛЕЧЕНИЯ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ С ХРОНИЧЕСКОЙ ЭМПИЕМОЙ ПЛЕВРЫ НА ФОНЕ БРОНХОПЛЕВРАЛЬНЫХ СВИЩЕЙ

Background. Treatment of pleural empyema in combination with bronchial fistula is aggravated by severe purulent-resorptive intoxication, which often leads to long periods of treatment with chronicity of the process and is still considered an urgent problem of modern pulmonology and thoracic surgery. Objective. To analyze the results of treatment of patients with chronic pleural empyema accompanied by bronchopleural fistulas using controlled vacuum aspiration, including in combination with the installation of a reverse endobronchial valve. Material and methods. The results of treatment of 38 patients with chronic pleural empyema in combination with bronchopleural fistula using controlled vacuum aspiration technology, including implantation of an endobronchial blocker in 15 of them were analyzed. Results. A method of hybrid surgical treatment of pleural empyema based on application of vacuum aspiration with implantation of an endobronchial blocker was developed. The technique of using adjustable vacuum aspiration in combination with endobronchial blocker implantation provides long-term and adequate blocking of the fistula-bearing bronchus without the risk of pneumonic complications in the blocked part of the lung. Vacuum aspiration based on the creation of local negative pressure accelerates the healing process of empyema cavity and eliminates intoxication syndrome, while their combination makes it possible to reduce the average duration of unstable pneumostasis from 295 days to 3 days, to shorten the total duration of treatment measures almost 4 times as well as to decrease mortality (from 6.2% in the comparison group to 0% in the main group). Conclusions. The use of endobronchial blocking in combination with vacuum aspiration of contents from the purulent cavity for the treatment of patients with chronic pleural empyema reduces the average duration of pneumostasis stabilization, the total duration of therapeutic measures as well as mortality.

Minimally invasive intrathoracic negative-pressure therapy and flexible thoracoscopy (FlexVATS) for patients with pleural empyema

To determine whether a new surgical method using a flexible endoscope (FlexVATS) to perform sparing debridement and apply negative-pressure therapy without extensive decortication may be an alternative treatment option for empyema. Surgical treatment of pleural empyema is associated with considerable postoperative complications and mortality rates, and alternative treatment options are being explored to improve patient outcomes. This was a prospective case series. Seventeen consecutive patients treated with FlexVATS between February 2021 and August 2022 were included in the study. Only patients for whom FlexVATS was the first therapeutic intervention for pleural empyema were included. Treatment success, defined as infection resolution, was the primary endpoint of the study. The secondary endpoints were length of hospital stay, 90-day mortality, and empyema cavity volume reduction. Patients who had previously been treated for pleural empyema by either drainage or surgery were excluded. The trial was performed as a single-centre study at a tertiary medical centre in Germany. In total, 17 patients with pleural empyema were included in the study. The median (IQR) duration of vacuum treatment was 15 days (8–35 days). Twelve of the 17 (71%) patients were successfully treated, and a significant reduction in the empyema cavity volume was observed. 41% of the dressing changes were performed outside the operating room. Compared with a historic cohort of conventionally treated patients (decortication via VATS or thoracotomy), the 90-day mortality rates tended to be lower without reaching statistical significance. Three patients (18%) died in hospital during treatment. No negative pressure-therapy-related complications were observed. FlexVATS therapy is a promising alternative therapy for both healthy and debilitated patients with pleural empyema. Larger randomised trials are required to validate this treatment option.

Prognostic factors influencing the outcome of empyema surgical management: prospective study in a Moroccan university center.

Background: Pleural empyema is a public health problem, and is the most frequent complication of pleural infection with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Our study aims to highlight the management of pleural empyema and evaluate its prognosis factors involved especially in surgical treatment. Patients and Methods: A prospective analysis of 53 patients who underwent surgical treatment of pleural empyema, from January 2015 to December 2019 at the thoracic surgery department in a tertiary referral university teaching hospital. Our study included patients who required surgical treatment for pleural empyema and were excluded patients with destroyed lungs associated with pyothorax. Results: The mean age of patients was 39.24±15.89 years and 79,24% of them were males. In 85.7% of the cases, the etiology was undetermined in 34%, parapneumonic in 1.9%, of tuberculosis in 54.71%, post-traumatic in 11, 3%, postoperative in 7.5% and iatrogenic in 1.9%. 45 patients were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics therapy adapted after antibiogram 14.38±21.76 days before the operation. A complete debridement and decortications were performed by VATS in 28 and by PLT in 22 patients. No major complications occurred. At a mean term follow-up of 20 months (3months—3 years); all patients were alive with no recurrence. The analysis of the results showed 4 factors of poor prognosis: delay of diagnosis and surgery (P = 0.02), chronic alcoholism (P = 0.034), preoperative ventilation disorder/COPD (P = 0.04) and active tuberculosis (P= 0, 05). Conclusion: The success of surgical management of pleural empyema depends on several factors, which predict the prognosis, but can be prevented.

Surgical Treatment of Pleural Empyema - Our Results.

To analyze the results of the surgical treatment in patients with empyema treated at Clinic for thoracic surgery. In the retrospective study we analyzed 234 patients with empyema which were treated at the Clinic for Thoracic Surgery in 5 year period (2011-2015). The mean age of the patients was 51.94 years. They were treated with pleural drainage, decortications or thoracoplasty. With pleural drainage were treated 165/234 (70.51%) patients, of which successfully were finished 124/165 (75.15%), but 41/165 (24.85%) were indicated after the decortications. A total of 108/234 (46.15%) were treated with decortications from which, primary decortications were indicated in 67/234 (28.63%) patients. 5/234 (2.14%) patients were treated with thoracoplasty - 3 of the patients with decortications and 2 with primary indicated thoracoplasty according to the local findings, long term untreated empyema and bad general condition. The Mean hospitalization was 17.4 days, of which 13.4 days after surgery. In the group with primary drainage it was detected a lethal outcome in 7/124 (5.64%) patients, 5/105 (4.76%) in the group with decortications and 2/5 (40%) in the group with thoracoplasty. Early detection of the parapneumonic effusion and the adequate treatment will prevent the appearance of empyema. If the empyema is detected it is necessary as early as possible to start the treatment with minimally invasive pleural drainage. In earlier stages it is possible to use less invasive decortications, using VATS than the open thoracotomy decortication which is more extensive surgical intervention.

Outcomes of Stage-Adapted Surgical Treatment of Pleural Empyema

The surgical treatment of pleural empyema should be carried out depending on the stage of the disease and the patient's symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of surgical pleural empyema treatment. Retrospective analysis of all patients with pleural empyema treated surgically between January 2008 and December 2013. The primary endpoint of the study was inpatient lethality. Secondary endpoints included duration of inpatient stay, type of treatment (surgical/conservative), proof of pathogen and type, alteration and duration of antibiotic therapy. Of 359 patients, 0.8 % (n = 3) had stage I empyema, 50.4 % (n = 181) had stage II and 48.7 % (n = 175) had stage III. The most frequent causes (32.4 %) included acute pneumonia (parapneumonic pleural empyema), surgery (usually thoracic) in 18.0 % of cases and previous pneumonia (postpneumonic pleural empyema) in 15.4 %. Surgery was performed in 86 % of cases (operative procedures: open thoracotomy 85 %, VATS 15 %). The average duration of inpatient stay was 20 days for stages II and III. Recovery following VATS was significantly shorter in stage II compared to thoracotomy (p = 0.022). Hospital lethality amounted to 7.0 % (25 patients). The lethality rate was 5.5 % (10/185) in stage II and 8.6 % (15/175) in stage III. Patients with confirmed pathogens had a significantly worse mortality rate across all stages (9.8 %) than patients with no confirmed pathogens (4.0 %, p = 0.034). Age, malignant underlying disease, multiple comorbidities, immunosuppression, a change in antibiotic regimens and sepsis were significant risk factors. The inpatient lethality of patients with pleural empyema correlates with the stage of the condition. Positive confirmation of pathogens, sepsis, a higher age, multiple comorbidities, malignant tumour disease, immunosuppression and a change of antibiotics are negative prognostic factors.

Evaluation of serial C-reactive protein measurements after surgical treatment of pleural empyema

OBJECTIVE:Serial C-reactive protein measurements have been used to diagnose and monitor the response to therapy in patients with pneumonia and other infectious diseases. Nonetheless, the role of C-reactive protein measurement after surgical treatment for pleural empyema is not well defined. The aim of this study is to describe the behavior of C-reactive protein levels after the surgical treatment of pleural empyema and to correlate this parameter with the patient's prognosis.METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients with pleural empyema treated by either chest-tube drainage or surgery from January 2006 to December 2008. C-reactive protein levels were recorded preoperatively and 2 and 7 days postoperatively. The clinical outcome was binary: success or failure (mortality or the need for repeated pleural intervention).RESULTS:The study group comprised fifty-two patients. The median C-reactive protein values were as follows: 146 mg/L (pre-operative), 134 mg/L (post-operative day 2), and 116 mg/L (post-operative day 7). There was a trend toward a decrease in these values during the first week after surgery, but this difference was only statistically significant on day 7 after surgery. Over the first week after surgery, the C-reactive protein values decreased similarly in both groups (successful and failed treatment). No correlation between the preoperative C-reactive protein level and the clinical outcome was found.CONCLUSIONS:We observed that, in contrast to other medical conditions, C-reactive protein levels fall slowly during the first postoperative week in patients who have undergone surgical treatment for pleural empyema. No correlation between the perioperative C-reactive protein level and the clinical outcome was observed.

Poor Late Survival After Surgical Treatment of Pleural Empyema

We have evaluated the outcome of patients who underwent surgical treatment of parapneumonic pleural empyema. This study included 143 consecutive patients older than 18 years who were operated on for parapneumonic pleural empyema. The overall survival at 30 days, 3 months, 5 years, and 10 years was 97.2, 92.3, 80.6, and 61.9%, respectively. Serum albumin (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.65-0.94), cerebrovascular disease (OR = 30.49, 95% CI = 1.35-689.05), pulmonary embolism (OR = 984.63, 95% CI = 7.81-124206.8), and Thoracoscore (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.10-2.35) were independent predictors of 3-month overall survival. Age (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03-1.14), serum albumin (RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82-0.98), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (RR = 5.14, 95% CI = 1.3319.84), and cerebrovascular disease (RR = 6.76, 95% CI = 1.33-34.34) were independent predictors of pneumonia/pleural empyema-related death. Twenty-two patients required 33 reinterventions after the primary procedure: 19 patients after primary thoracoscopy and 3 patients after primary thoracotomy. Reintervention did not have any significant impact on 30-day mortality (4.5% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.49), but it affected 3-month mortality (26.1% vs. 4.2%, p < 0.0001). Reoperation was an independent predictor of late overall survival (at 10 years: 35.5% vs. 67.4%, RR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.33-6.57) and freedom from pneumonia/pleural empyema-related death (at 10 years: 73.9% vs. 91.3%, RR = 4.40, 95% CI = 1.24-15.66). Surgical treatment of pleural empyema can be associated with good immediate results, but longer follow-up showed that pneumonia/pleural empyema-related mortality and all-cause mortality are rather poor.

Long-term functional results after surgical treatment of parapneumonic thoracic empyema

Retrospective evaluation of long-term functional results of surgical treatment of chronic pleural empyema. Two different surgical procedures (debridement vs. decortication) and approaches (VATS vs. thoracotomy) were analyzed. Three end-points were considered: short-term surgical results, short- and long-term radiological results, clinico-functional long-term results. Fifty-one debridement (52% VATS, 48% thoracotomy) and 68 decortication were performed. Postoperative mortality and morbidity were 1.5% and 24%, respectively. Older age (>70 years old) had worse postoperative morbidity (P=0.048). Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) debridement had lower postoperative hospital stay (P=0.006) and shorter duration of chest drainage (P=0.006). The infectious process was resolved in all patients. All patients presented a postoperative radiological improvement, 63 patients (60%) with a complete pulmonary re-expansion. Sixty patients (58%) referred a complete respiratory recovery. VATS debridement had a greater improvement in subjective dyspnea degree (P=0.041). The long-term spirometric evaluation was normal in 58 patients (56%). Age >70 years old resulted the only variable associated to poor long-term results (FEV(1)% < 60% and/or MRC grade > or = 2) at multivariate analysis. Surgical treatment of pleural empyema achieves excellent long-term respiratory outcomes. VATS is associated to less postoperative mortality and shorter postoperative hospital stay. In elderly patients, postoperative morbidity could be higher and long-term functional improvement less warranted.

Surgical Treatment of Pleural Empyema: Changing Priorities

The surgical management of pleural empyema and post-traumatic clotted haemothorax is described. The study included 15 cases of post-thoracotomy empyema, 23 of empyema of other aetiology and five of post-traumatic haemothorax. Chest-tube drainage was the first measure in most cases. Post-pneumonectomy empyema was treated with partial thoracoplasty plus omentoplasty (8 cases) or plus myoplasty (1 case). Empyema after lobectomy or bilobectomy (4 cases) or after failed decortication (1 case) was managed with thoracoplasty or, in cases of concomitant wound infection, with open-window thoracostomy followed by thoracoplasty. Empyema after subclavian artery reconstruction (1 case) was cleared by removal of a previously unrecognized foreign body. For early empyema of other aetiology or haemothorax (10 cases in total), treatment comprised debridement by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). VATS was also used to establish suitable pleural drainage prior to elective thoracotomy (2 cases). Decortication and partial parietal pleurectomy were performed for organizing-stage empyema (16 cases). Three of the 15 patients with post-thoracotomy empyema died perioperatively, one died two months postoperatively and one had recurrence of bronchopleural fistula during follow-up. One patient with VATS debridement subsequently required thoracotomy and lobectomy for lung abscess. All the others with VATS or decortication recovered without complications. During follow-up there was no mortality or recurrence of empyema.

Results of surgical treatment of pleural empyema (author's transl)

Results of surgical treatment of pleural empyema (author's transl)