The diagnosis and management of pleural empyema.

Abstract

The diagnosis and management of pleural infection continues to improve steadily. Recent advances include: newer, smaller, and more comfortable chest drainage catheters; improved pleural pus drainage with the aid of intrapleural fibrinolytics; and improved surgical procedures including thoracoscopic surgery. The optimal size of chest drainage tube remains a matter of debate, with no large data sets available to clarify the optimal tube size. In contrast, there are now small controlled trials of sound basic methodology which suggest a therapeutic role for both fibrinolytics and thoracoscopy. Studies large enough to establish clearly the efficacy and safety of these approaches are now at the planning and recruitment stage.

• Authors: R J Davies, F V Gleeson
• Journal: Current opinion in pulmonary medicine (Curr Opin Pulm Med) Vol. 4 Issue 3 Pg. 185-90 (May 1998) ISSN: 1070-5287 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9675522 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Biopsy, Needle
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Drainage (methods)
• Empyema, Pleural (diagnosis, therapy)
• Humans
• Prognosis
• Thoracoscopy
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome