Video-assisted thoracoscopic sterilization for exacerbation of chronic empyema thoracis.
case_report · Level V
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Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic sterilization to treat patients with exacerbation of chronic empyema thoracis. DESIGN: Case reports and literature review. SETTING: Academic department of surgery. PATIENTS: Two elderly, debilitated patients with worsening, chronic empyema thoracis as diagnosed by radiographs, CT, and thoracentesis. Both patients had a history of therapeutic pneumothorax for tuberculosis without bronchopleural fistulas. INTERVENTIONS: Video-assisted thoracoscopic sterilization of the thoracic cavity. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: There was no recurrence of empyema during a 6-year follow-up period for one patient and a 2.5-year follow-up period for the other patient. CONCLUSIONS: Video-assisted thoracoscopic sterilization is a minimally invasive useful treatment for elderly or debilitated patients with exacerbation of chronic empyema thoracis.
Medical subject headings
- Empyema, Pleural
- Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
- Thoracoscopy