Surgery Definition – What is lung empyema?
Surgery Definition – What is lung empyema?
Lung empyema is a collection of the pus in the pleural space due to the superinfection as a result of pleural effusion. Patient with lung empyema may present with swinging pyrexia and respiratory distress. The chest x ray may reveal blunting of the diaphragmatic angles. The treatment of lung empyema depends on the stages of lung empyema. In the exudative phase, the treatment includes chest tube drainage and antibiotics where the pus is free flowing. In the fibrinopurulent phase there will be multiple loculations and thick pus. In this case surgical intervention is needed to evacuate the material that has been infected and to create a unified space for drainage. Simple drainage and antibiotics are not sufficient. In the Organisation phase, more complex surgical procedures are required due to fibrotic encasement of the lung. The aim of the treatment is to stop infection and eradicate the infection. Decortication and suction drainage may lead to the re expansion of the lung.
Lung empyema is a collection of the pus in the pleural space due to the superinfection as a result of pleural effusion. Patient with lung empyema may present with swinging pyrexia and respiratory distress. The chest x ray may reveal blunting of the diaphragmatic angles. The treatment of lung empyema depends on the stages of lung empyema. In the exudative phase, the treatment includes chest tube drainage and antibiotics where the pus is free flowing. In the fibrinopurulent phase there will be multiple loculations and thick pus. In this case surgical intervention is needed to evacuate the material that has been infected and to create a unified space for drainage. Simple drainage and antibiotics are not sufficient. In the Organisation phase, more complex surgical procedures are required due to fibrotic encasement of the lung. The aim of the treatment is to stop infection and eradicate the infection. Decortication and suction drainage may lead to the re expansion of the lung.
