Postpneumonic empyema in childhood: selecting appropriate therapy

Empyema in children

Empyema is the infection of the fluid in the pleural space due to different causes. The most common cause of empyema in children is parapneumonic effusion. Although its frequency has decreased significantly with the use of antibiotics, it is still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The main aim in the treatment of empyema is to drain the pleural cavity to provide reexpansion of the compressed lung, to treat the parenchymal infection with appropriate antibiotic therapy, and to prevent complications that may develop in the acute and chronic periods. Treatment options for this disease vary depending on the stage of the disease. Treatment success in childhood empyema detected at an early stage is high. The diagnosis and treatment of empyema in children differs from adults. Due to rapid tissue regeneration in childhood, healing can occur without the need for aggressive treatment options.

Persistent Abnormal Lung Function After Childhood Empyema

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine pulmonary function tests in children at various time points in their recovery from empyema.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Academic Children's Hospital.

PATIENTS

Pediatric patients with a diagnosis of empyema between 1992-2000.

RESULTS

A total of 45 pulmonary function tests were carried out in 36 study participants. Within 3 months of hospital discharge, 91% of pulmonary function tests demonstrated a restrictive pattern with a mean forced vital capacity (FVC) of 69.2 +/- 4% and a mean total lung capacity (TLC) of 74.9 +/- 4% of predicted. The incidence of restriction in pulmonary function significantly decreased over time and for patients tested > 1 year from hospital discharge the mean FVC was 87.1 +/- 2% and the mean TLC 95.0 +/- 2% of predicted. However, 19% of the patients tested > 1 year from discharge demonstrated a mild restrictive pattern and 16% demonstrated a mild obstructive changes. Patients with abnormal lung function > 1 year from hospital discharge did not demonstrate any signs or symptoms of respiratory insufficiency .

CONCLUSION

There is a high incidence of restrictive patterns in lung function for children tested within 3 months from hospital discharge for empyema. The incidence of restrictive patterns decreased significantly over time and most patients tested >1 year from hospital discharge demonstrated normal lung function.

[Treatment of loculated parapneumonic empyema. Video assisted thoracoscopy or fibrinolytics?]

OBJECTIVE

There is no consensus regarding the ideal treatment of loculated parapneumonic empyema (PPE). The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of drainage plus urokinase (DF) with video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective review. Patients admitted with a PPE between January 2001 and July 2008. Loculated empyema was diagnosed by chest ultrasound and patients were treated with DF or VATS depending on the attending surgeon. Compared variables were: post-operative stay, total hospital stay, days of tube thoracostomy, post-operative fever and treatment failure.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty one patients were admitted with the diagnosis of PPE. Seventeen patients were excluded from analysis because of simple parapneumonic effusions. Of the 104 patients included in the study, 47 were treated with urokinase and 57 with videothoracoscopy. No statistically significant differences (P>.05) were found between the median values in the DF and VATS groups for hospital stay (median 12 vs 12 days) or post-operative stay (median 9 vs 9 days). There were differences in duration of tube thoracostomy (median DF group 5 days, VATS, 4 days, P<.05) and in the post-operative fever (median 3 vs 2 days, p<0,05).Twenty two per cent of children needed a second procedure (14 patients of DF and 9 of VATS group, P=.09).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our experience, the results of DF and VATS for the treatment of loculated parapneumonic empyema are similar. Although there are no statistical differences, there seems to be a higher rate of failure, with the need of more procedures in the DF group. This difference does not affect the average total hospital stay.

Less is best? The impact of urokinase as the first line management of empyema thoracis

To assess the impact of intrapleural urokinase and small tube thoracostomy on the management of childhood empyema thoracis. The study population included 38 children presenting consecutively to a regional surgical unit with empyema thoracis from January 2001 to December 2003. Children with malignancy, immunodeficiency and complex intercurrent illness were excluded. Primary outcome variables were the need for second intervention and duration of stay, with other variables including duration of antibiotics, serial CRP and amelioration of pyrexia. Interventions were: tube thoracostomy (16-20 Fr) alone (n=2), tube thoracostomy (6-10 Fr)+urokinase (n=17), thoracoscopy (tube: 20-24 Fr) (n=9), thoracotomy (tube: 16-24 Fr) (n=10). There were no differences in age, weight or length of prodromal symptoms, between treatment groups. There were no differences in primary outcome variables, although no child undergoing thoracotomy required further intervention. The duration of intravenous antibiotics was similar in all groups. Amelioration of pyrexia was more rapid in children undergoing thoracotomy. There were no differences seen with regard to decline in CRP level. Small tube thoracostomy and intrapleural urokinase had a similar outcome to more invasive therapies such as thoracotomy or thoracoscopy thereby supporting the evidence base for urokinase and tube drainage as first line intervention.

Ready for the Frontline: Is Early Thoracoscopic Decortication the New Standard of Care for Advanced Pneumonia with Empyema?

Video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication (VATD) has been established as an effective and potentially less morbid alternative to open thoracotomy for the management of empyema. However, the timing and role of VATD for advanced pneumonia with empyema is still controversial. In assessing surgical outcome, the authors reviewed their VATD experience in children with empyema or empyema with necrotizing pneumonia. The charts of 42 children who underwent VATD at our institution between July 2001 and July 2005 were retrospectively reviewed for surgical outcome. For purposes of analysis, patients were cohorted into four classes with increasing severity of pneumonia: 1 (-) intraoperative pleural fluid cultures, (-) necrotizing pneumonia, 18 (43%); 2 (+) pleural fluid cultures, (-) necrotizing pneumonia, 10 (24%); 3 (-) pleural fluid cultures, (+) necrotizing pneumonia, 6 (14%); 4 (+) pleural fluid cultures, (+) necrotizing pneumonia, 8 (19%). A P value of <0.05 via Student's t test or Fischer's exact analysis was considered an indicator of significant difference in the comparison of group outcomes. VATD was successfully completed in all 42 patients with no mortality and without significant morbidity (82% had less than 20 cc blood loss). There was found to be no significant difference (p = NS) in time to surgical discharge (removal of chest tube) among all groups. Hospital length of stay postsurgery was found to be significantly increased between 1 and 4 (6 days vs 9 days; P = 0.038). 14/14 (100%) of children with necrotizing pneumonia were found to have evidence of lung parenchymal preservation with improved aeration on follow-up CT scan and/or chest x-rays. The authors conclude that early VATD in children with advanced pneumonia with empyema is indicated to avoid unnecessarily lengthy hospitalization and prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, early VATD can be safely performed in various stages of advanced pneumonia with empyema, promoting lung salvage, and accelerating clinical recovery.

Conservative use of chest-tube insertion in children with pleural effusion

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a more conservative use of chest-tube insertion on the short-term and long-term outcome of pleural infection. Sixty-five patients with pleural infection, aged 1 month to 16 years were each treated according to one of the two protocols: classical management with chest-tube insertion (classical group, n = 33), or conservative use of chest-tube insertion (conservative group, n = 32), with drainage indicated only in the case of voluminous pleural effusion defined by a mediastinal shift and respiratory distress and/or an uncontrolled septic situation. The two groups were comparable with regard to age, baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) value and white blood cell counts, pleural thickness, identified bacteria, and antibiotic treatment. Chest-tube insertion was performed in 17 patients (52%) of the classical group compared to eight patients (25%) of the conservative group (P = 0.03). Duration of temperature above 39 degrees C was shorter in the conservative group (10 +/- 1 vs. 14 +/- 1 days, P = 0.01), as was the normalization of CRP (13 +/- 1 vs. 17 +/- 1 days, P = 0.03). Duration of hospitalization and intravenous (IV) antibiotherapy as well as the delay of chest-radiograph normalization was not significantly different between the two groups. A more conservative use of chest-tube insertion did not change short- and long-term outcome of the pleural infection in children. Drainage could be restricted to the most severely affected patients with pleural empyema causing a mediastinal shift and respiratory distress and/or presenting with an uncontrolled septic situation.

The evaluation and cluster analysis of parapneumonic effusion in childhood

We studied 80 children with parapneumonic effusion (PPE) with respect to the clinical manifestations and treatment alternatives as well as prospective follow-up for 1 year. Out of the 80 patients, 59 per cent were male. The mean age of the patients was 4.0 +/- 3.1 years. Mild effusion was successfully treated by antibiotic alone in 33 per cent of the patients. Tube thoracostomy (TT) was utilized in 63 per cent of the patients. In this group, 11 healed completely, 13 patients required surgical treatment, and 25 required fibrinolytic therapy (FT). FT was successful in 18, and no complication due to FT was observed. Six patients who received FT required surgical therapy later in the course of treatment. Cluster analysis revealed a group of patients with rapid progression and a short history of symptoms (4-6 days) that showed significantly higher rate of complicated prognosis (p<0.05). Successful FT prevented surgical operation in 22 per cent of the patients who were candidates for surgical treatment. The follow-up for one year revealed sequelae on chest X-ray in 28 per cent of the patients most of whom had an operation for necrotizing pneumonia. Pulmonary function tests performed over seven years of age were abnormal in 57 per cent of the patients.

Comparison of thoracoscopic drainage with open thoracotomy for treatment of paediatric parapneumonic empyema

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of thoracoscopic drainage with open drainage of empyema in children. A retrospective case history audit was done of children presenting to a single major paediatric centre who underwent thoracoscopy drainage and decortication or open decortication and drainage (thoracotomy) between January 2000 and September 2002. Time to resolution of infection, duration of intercostal catheter (ICC) drainage, postoperative morphine requirements, and length of hospital admission were compared as primary measures of outcome. Thirty-three patients, 17 male and 16 female, aged between 1 month and 21 years were included in the study. Median age at surgery was 2.6 years. The location of the empyema was right-sided in 17 patients and left-sided in 16 patients. The empyema was drained by thoracoscopy in 11 patients, and 22 patients underwent thoracotomy. Two patients had thoracoscopy converted to thoracotomy for late-stage disease requiring greater surgical access. There were no differences between treatment groups with respect to duration of ICC drainage (p=0.6), duration of fever (p=0.6), length of stay (p=0.9), or postoperative morphine use (p=0.2). However, overall pain scores were lower in the thoracoscopy group, particularly on days 2 and 3; this approached statistical significance (p=0.07). This study has demonstrated that thoracoscopic drainage is an effective procedure for treating empyema in children. It is less invasive than open thoracotomy and is associated with less patient discomfort and less severe pain as measured by objective pain scores. We advocate thoracoscopic drainage for the majority of patients with empyema, except for those with advanced disease.

Utilidade de um escore e de variáveis indicativas de drenagem pleural em crianças com derrame pleural parapneumônico

INTRODUÇÃO: A decisão pela drenagem do derrame pleural parapneumônico em crianças é controversa. Uma parceria entre pediatras e cirurgiões deu origem a um escore indicativo de drenagem torácica. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a utilidade do escore na indicação de drenagem torácica para tratamento do derrame pleural parapneumônico em crianças e adolescentes. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal retrospectivo, com 250 pacientes internados com derrame pleural parapneumônico, em hospital de referência terciário (1994 a 1999). As variáveis estudadas foram: condições clínicas, radiogramas torácicos, exames bacteriológicos e bioquímicos do líquido pleural, escore e tratamento. O escore baseava-se em quatro categorias: aspecto macroscópico do fluido pleural, radiograma de tórax, exames laboratoriais e segunda toracocentese. Escore > 5,5 era indicativo de drenagem torácica. RESULTADOS: Derrame pleural parapneumônico ocorreu em 304 das 941 crianças com pneumonia (32,2%). Das 250 incluídas, 146 eram do sexo masculino (58,4%), com média de idade de três anos (mediana de dois). Os valores de corte obtidos na Receiver operating characteristic para sugerir drenagem pleural foram: pH < 7,29 (sensibilidade de 89,2%; especificidade de 76,5%), escore > 5,0 (sensibilidade de 68,7%; especificidade de 81,7%); tanto estes valores quanto os relatados na literatura de pH < 7,0 e glicose < 40 relacionaram-se à necessidade de drenagem (p = 0,001). A desidrogenase lática não se mostrou bom parâmetro para indicação de drenagem. CONCLUSÃO: Além do aspecto purulento, pH < 7,29 e escore foram os melhores preditores de drenagem em pacientes pediátricos com derrame pleural parapneumônico. Entretanto, sugere-se readequar alguns dos itens do escore, para sua melhor aplicação.

Primary operative versus nonoperative therapy for pediatric empyema: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The optimal treatment of children with empyema remains controversial. The purpose of this review was to compare reported results of nonoperative and primary operative therapy for the treatment of pediatric empyema.

METHODS

A systematic comprehensive review of the scientific literature was conducted with the PubMed (National Library of Medicine) database for the period from 1981 to 2004. This reproducible search identified all publications dealing with treatment of empyema in the pediatric population (<18 years of age). A meta-analysis was performed with studies with adequate data summaries for > or =1 of the outcomes of interest for both treatment groups.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven studies were reviewed. Data were aggregated from reports of children initially treated nonoperatively (3418 cases from 54 studies) and of children treated with a primary operative approach (363 cases from 25 studies). The populations were similar in age. Patients who underwent primary operative therapy had a lower aggregate in-hospital mortality rate (0% vs 3.3%), reintervention rate (2.5% vs 23.5%), length of stay (10.8 vs 20.0 days), duration of tube thoracostomy (4.4 vs 10.6 days), and duration of antibiotic therapy (12.8 vs 21.3 days), compared with patients who underwent nonoperative therapy. In 8 studies for which meta-analysis was possible, patients who received primary operative therapy were found to have a pooled relative risk of failure of 0.09, compared with those who did not. Meta-analysis could not be performed for any of the other outcome measures investigated in this review. Similar complication rates were observed for the 2 groups (5% vs 5.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

These aggregate results suggest that primary operative therapy is associated with a lower in-hospital mortality rate, reintervention rate, length of stay, time with tube thoracostomy, and time of antibiotic therapy, compared with nonoperative treatment. The meta-analysis demonstrates a significantly reduced relative risk of failure among patients treated operatively.

Thoracoscopic Decortication: First-Line Therapy for Pediatric Empyema

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has become a popular and well-refined procedure. It has several advantages over open thoracotomy in terms of invasiveness and cosmetics. The aim of this study is to consider if VATS can serve as primary management for pediatric empyema. Between October 2000 and December 2002, 13 children with empyema receiving VATS were retrospectively reviewed. Of them, 5 had tube thoracostomy before VATS intervention (group T), and 8 had VATS as the initial treatment (group V). Their mean (+/- SD) age of groups V and T were 5.75 +/- 4.43 and 4.0 +/- 1.58 years, respectively. The children of group V had a shorter length of hospital stay (group V 10.7 +/- 3.54 days; group T 28.2 +/- 8.32 days), a shorter period of chest tube drainage (group V 5 +/- 1.87 days; group T 25 +/- 11.08 days), less transfusion (group V 0.4 +/- 0.17 units; group T 0.9 +/- 0.27 units) and less radiation exposure (group V 10.3 +/- 3.49; group T 23.4 +/- 11.64). No mortality was noted in the entire series. We conclude that primary VATS is a safe, effective and definitive method which can serve as first-line therapy for children with empyema.

Does VATS provide optimal treatment of empyema in children? A systematic review

PURPOSE

The surgical literature is replete with studies describing methods of treatment for pediatric empyema. The purpose of this report was to perform an evidence-based review of the literature to determine the most effective and appropriate treatment for empyema in infants and children.

METHODS

The MEDLINE database was searched for English- and Spanish-language articles published from 1987 through 2002 on the treatment of thoracic empyema in children. Additional unpublished data were obtained by contacting individual study authors. There were no multiinstitutional prospective studies; all were retrospective, institutional series. A true meta-analysis could not be performed because of inherent institutional bias and variability in outcome measures among studies. A Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test was used to compare methods detailed in the individual studies.

RESULTS

Forty-four retrospective studies with a total of 1,369 patients were available for analysis. Four treatment strategies were compared: chest tube drainage alone (16 studies, 611 patients), chest tube drainage with fibrinolytic instillation (10 studies, 83 patients), thoracotomy (13 studies, 226 patients), and video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication (VATS; 22 studies, 449 patients). Outcome measures common to the majority of studies included length of stay, fever duration, l of antibiotic therapy duration, and duration of chest tube drainage. Patients undergoing early VATS or thoracotomy had shorter length of stay (P =.003). There was a trend for shorter duration of postoperative fever compared with chest tube alone or with fibrinolytic therapy, but this did not reach statistical significance (P =.055). There was no statistical difference in chest tube duration between methods. There was no trend correlating antibiotic use with treatment methods, length of hospital stay, duration of fever, or length of chest tube requirement.

CONCLUSIONS

Early VATS or thoracotomy leads to shorter hospitalization. The duration of chest tube placement and antibiotic use is variable and does not correlate with treatment method. A carefully designed, multiinstitutional, randomized study would lead to the development of evidence-based standards that may optimize the treatment of thoracic empyema in children.

Management of thoracic empyema in childhood: does the pleural thickening matter?

AIMS

To determine the clinical course and long term outcome of empyema treated without decortication.

METHODS

Fourteen consecutive admissions to one hospital were studied; radiological resolution and lung function were subsequently followed. The children were aged 2-14 years. All were treated with intravenous antibiotics and chest drain only.

RESULTS

All patients had extensive pleural thickening evident on chest x ray examination at the time of discharge, which resolved entirely over a period of 2-16 months. Lung function was measured in 13 children, and showed no evidence of restrictive or obstructive deficit: mean (SD) values as per cent predicted for height were: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 107.5 (9.6), forced vital capacity (FVC) 95.5 (8.8), total lung capacity (TLC) 98.6 (20.7). Individual children all had values in the normal range (80-120 per cent predicted).

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that decortication is not necessary in children to prevent long term problems with pleural thickening, and should be undertaken on the basis of the clinical picture (failure of fever resolution), rather than radiological appearance.

Intrapleural fibrinolysis for parapneumonic effusion and empyema in children

PURPOSE

To assess the safety and efficacy of urokinase and alteplase for intrapleural fibrinolysis in children with parapneumonic pleural fluid collections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of 71 children with parapneumonic pleural fluid accumulations who were treated with thoracostomy tube placement and intrapleural instillation of either urokinase or alteplase. The procedures were performed with urokinase between September 2, 1995, and March 27, 1998, and with alteplase between March 30, 1998, and January 2, 2002. The medical records and daily chest radiographs were reviewed by a pediatric radiologist to ascertain demographic information, signs and symptoms, laboratory results, thoracostomy tube output, treatment details, and radiographic pleural thickness and lung opacification. Multiple variables were compared for the alteplase and urokinase groups by using univariate and multivariate statistics. We defined primary treatment success as resolution of signs and symptoms at the time of discharge, without surgical intervention.

RESULTS

Primary treatment success was 98% for alteplase and 100% for urokinase, with no major complications. Greater pleural fluid drainage occurred with alteplase than urokinase during the 1st (P =.001) and 2nd (P =.002) days of fibrinolytic therapy, and for the duration of thoracostomy drainage (P <.001). Multivariate models showed greater total drainage with alteplase (P <.001), greater patient age (P <.001), larger tube size (P =.002), and greater volume of drainage during the 24 hours prior to fibrinolysis (P <.001).

CONCLUSION

Intrapleural fibrinolysis with urokinase or alteplase facilitates thoracostomy tube drainage of parapneumonic pleural fluid. With the dosing regimen used in this study, alteplase produces greater thoracostomy tube output than does urokinase.

Short-term course and outcome of treatments of pleural empyema in pediatric patients: repeated ultrasound-guided needle thoracocentesis vs chest tube drainage

BACKGROUND

Several reports have suggested that early chest tube drainage (CTD) may not be necessary in the treatment of severe pleural empyema (PE) in pediatric patients if appropriate antibiotic therapy and supportive care are provided.

OBJECTIVES

A prospective open study to compare the short-term course of two treatment protocols of severe PE in pediatric patients.

STUDY DESIGN

One group of 32 patients was treated with early insertion of a chest tube for CTD, and a second group of 35 patients was treated by a repeated ultrasound-guided needle thoracocentesis (RUSGT). The severity of the empyema was assessed by chest radiograph, the amount of fluid drained, the number of days the patient had experienced a fever, and the duration of antibiotic treatment.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between the two groups (RUSGT vs CTD) in all of the following measurements: mean (plus minus SD) duration of a temperature > or = 39 degreesC, 6.2 +/- 2.4 vs 6.5 +/- 1.8 days, respectively; mean duration of a temperature > or = 38 degreesC, 9 +/- 3.9 vs 8.2 +/- 4.5 days, respectively; fluid drained, 35.1 + 23.8 vs 30 +/- 28.2 mL/kg, respectively; duration of antibiotic treatment, 30 +/- 13.2 vs 30.2 +/- 7.3 days, respectively; and length of hospitalization and home IV treatment, 22 +/- 7.6 vs 24.2 +/- 7.5 days, respectively. A failure to respond to treatment occurred in three patients in the RUSGT-treated group and in five patients in the CTD-treated group. The failure to respond occurred in the RUSGT-treated group only in those patients with very large empyemas that caused mediastinal deviation.

CONCLUSION

The treatment of PE by RUSGT is as efficacious as CTD, unless PE causes mediastinal deviation.

Empyema: development of a critical pathway

Over the past 20 years at the authors' institution, the management of empyema has evolved. The authors recently have developed a critical pathway in an effort to facilitate diagnosis, guide therapy, and reduce cost. Currently, the average length of stay using this pathway is 4 to 5 days with decreased cost compared to the historic length of stay and a national children's hospital database. The authors review steps to develop a critical pathway as well as discuss their pathway for empyema management.

Thoracoscopic decortication as first-line therapy for pediatric parapneumonic empyema. A case series

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Previous articles have promoted the early use of thoracotomy and decortication for refractory empyema. This study examines thoracoscopy and decortication at the time of initial chest tube placement in pediatric patients with parapneumonic empyema.

DESIGN

We reviewed the medical records of 16 consecutive patients who were children with parapneumonic empyema.

RESULTS

Thirteen children (group 1) underwent thoracoscopic decortication and tube thoracostomy as their initial operative procedures; 3 children (group 2) had tube thoracostomy alone. In both groups, chest tubes were removed prior to their discharge to home. The mean (+/- SD) operative time for thoracoscopy was 81 +/- 19 min with no complications. On average, chest tubes were removed by postoperative day 4. The mean time to discharge was 8.3 days. Two children eventually required lobectomy. The mean operative time for chest tube placement alone was 21 +/- 3 min. Children required chest tube drainage for an average of 12.3 days. The mean time to discharge was 16.6 days. Two patients required a total of five additional operative procedures, including two additional chest tube placements, two open decortications, and one lobectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Thoracoscopic decortication is effective in the early treatment of pediatric parapneumonic empyema. It facilitates visualization, evacuation, and mechanical decortication of the pleural space with no additional morbidity and may lead to reduced time for chest tube drainage, shorter hospitalization, and more rapid clinical recovery.

Management of parapneumonic collections in infants and children

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has a recognized role in treatment of empyema thoracis. The purpose of this report is to show the value of initial VATS as the primary treatment of parapneumonic collections.

METHODS

A retrospective review was done of 139 children who required surgical consultation for parapneumonic collections between January 1992 and July 1998. Management options were (M1) thoracentesis, chest tube drainage, or fibrinolytic therapy and delayed thoracotomy for unresolved collections; (M2) thoracentesis, chest tube drainage, fibrinolytic therapy with delayed VATS if the child remained ill; or (M3) primary VATS. Comparative data included age, duration of prehospital illness, oxygen requirements, white blood cell count, bacterial culture results, number of procedures performed per patient, duration of chest tube drainage, complications, and length of stay. Kruskal-Wallis 1-way analysis was used, with significance at P less than .05.

RESULTS

A total of 60 children were treated by M1, 38 by M2, and 41 by M3. Age, duration of prehospital illness, oxygen requirements, white blood cell count, bacterial culture results, and complication rates were comparable. The median length of stay was 12 days for M1, 11 days for M2, and 7 days for M3, with M3 significantly shorter at P<.001. The number of procedures was a median of 2 in M1, 2 in M2, and 1 in M3, with M3 significantly fewer at P<.001. Duration of chest tube drainage was a median 5 days for M1 and 3 days for M2 and M3, with M1 significantly longer at P<.001. There were 9 thoracotomies in the M1 group, 3 in the M2 group, and none in the M3 group. One child in M3 required a second VATS.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary VATS has significantly decreased the number of procedures, duration of chest tube drainage and length of stay for children with parapneumonic effusions. Primary VATS appears to be of value in management of bacterial pneumonia with effusion.

Early video-assisted thoracic surgery in the management of empyema

OBJECTIVE

The appropriate timing, as well as the type of intervention, for the treatment of empyema in children is controversial. The advent of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has changed the way we treat these children. Therefore, we reviewed our experience with the early use of VATS in the treatment of empyema and formulated a treatment algorithm.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all patients undergoing VATS for empyema at Arkansas Children's Hospital from December 1994 to February 1997. All patients were treated by the pediatric surgical service and had the diagnosis of empyema confirmed at surgery. Results are reported as means, unless otherwise noted.

RESULTS

Twenty-five children with empyema were treated with VATS during the review period. Their age was 48.3 months, and the duration of symptoms was 7.4 days. All the patients had parapneumonic empyemas and had received preoperative antibiotics for 10.1 days. Preoperative imaging included chest radiography in 25 (100%), ultrasonography in 20 (80%), and computed tomography in 10 (40%). All patients with documented loculated parapneumonic fluid collections underwent VATS within a mean of 2 days of hospitalization. Chest tubes were removed in 3.2 days, resulting in a postoperative length of stay of 4.9 days. Total length of stay was 7.3 days. One patient required conversion to minithoracotomy and required a transfusion. There were no other complications or deaths. Follow-up was available for 22 (88%) children, and there was resolution of symptoms in all children with no recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS

Earlier intervention with VATS in the treatment of empyema in children is safe and may reduce hospital charges by shortening hospital stay. A treatment algorithm based on early use of VATS is also described.

Is Thoracoscopically Aided Pleural Debridement Advantageous in Children?

Thoracic empyema encompasses a spectrum of inflammatory manifestations ranging from thin parapneumonic pleural effusion to the formation of a thick, constricting rind. The aim of this study is to determine the applicability of thoracoscopically aided pleural debridement (TAPD) in children with complicated empyema and to assess its possible advantages. In the last 6 years, 26 children (ages 2 months-16 years; median, 7 years; mean, 7 years) were diagnosed with empyema (right, n = 15; left, n = 11). Their charts, radiographs, and follow-up courses were reviewed. All children had typical clinical and radiological findings of empyema; one also had necrotizing pneumonitis. Treatment modalities included antibiotics only (n = 3), antibiotics with tube thoracostomy (n = 11), open thoracotomy (n = 5), and TAPD (n = 7). Children treated with antibiotics alone had an average (avg) length of stay (LOS) of 31 days. Those managed with tube thoracostomy had an avg LOS of 13 days, and those who underwent thoracotomy had an avg LOS of 16 days. The seven children treated with TAPD had an avg LOS of 12 days, and their avg postoperative chest tube use was 6 days. Children with TAPD had considerable less pain and recovered faster. TAPD of empyema is promising for children whose lungs do not expand promptly after tube thoracostomy or who have a persistent loculated empyema.

Common pleural effusions in children

The evaluation of pleural effusions in children differ from that of the adult in cause, symptom presentation, character of the fluid, techniques for diagnosis, treatment or management, and prognosis. These similarities and differences are reviewed with emphasis on the treatment of empyema.

Thoracoscopic debridement of loculated empyema thoracis in children

The appropriate management of multiloculated empyema thoracis remains controversial. During a 7-month period, we have managed multiloculated empyema with early thoracoscopic debridement in three consecutive pediatric patients. Chest tubes were removed 7 +/- 1 (mean +/- standard deviation) days after thoracoscopy and discharge from hospital was on postoperative day 8 +/- 1. We suggest that early thoracoscopic debridement of multiloculated empyema thoracis in children is safe and efficacious.

Empyema thoracis: a problem with late referral?

BACKGROUND

Patients are often referred to thoracic units for management of empyema after the acute phase has been treated with antibiotics but without adequate drainage. This study evaluates the effects of delay in surgical treatment of empyema thoracis on morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

Thirty nine consecutive patients were studied from January 1991 to June 1992. Two groups (group 1, 16 patients; group 2, 23 patients) were compared depending on the time spent under the care of other specialists before referral to the thoracic unit (group 1, seven days or less; group 2, eight days or more). The reasons for delay in referral were analysed.

RESULTS

Four patients were treated conservatively with chest drainage alone (all in group 1). Thirty five patients required rib resection and drainage of their empyema (group 1, 12 patients; group 2, 23 patients). Nineteen (all in group 2) of the 35 patients who had rib resections went on to have decortication. The commonest cause of empyema was post-pneumonic (37 out of 39 patients). Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism isolated. Misdiagnosis (five patients), inappropriate antibiotics (six patients), and inappropriate placement of chest drainage tubes (three patients) all contributed to persistence and eventual progression of empyema. The overall mortality was 10% and mortality increased with age. The median stay in hospital was 9.5 days (range 7-12 days, n = 4) for patients treated with closed tube drainage only; 18 days (range 10-33 days, n = 16) for patients who had undergone rib resections and open drainage; and 28 days (range 22-49 days, n = 19) for patients who underwent decortication. The likelihood of having a staged procedure (antibiotics, closed tube drainage, open drainage with rib resection, and finally decortication) increased when closed tube drainage was persevered with for more than seven days. The total hospital stay was positively related with the time before referral for surgical treatment. Anaemia, low albumin concentrations, and worsening liver function were found in group 2 compared with group 1.

CONCLUSIONS

Early adequate operative drainage in patients with empyema results in low morbidity, shorter stays in hospital, and good long term outcome. These patients should be treated aggressively and early referral for definitive surgical management is recommended.

Intrapleural streptokinase as adjunctive treatment for persistent empyema in pediatric patients

Successful treatment of persistent empyema by intrapleural streptokinase is described in five pediatric patients. Their ages ranged from 18 months to 7 years. All experienced dramatic improvement in the resolution of their empyemas following intrapleural streptokinase. Improved chest tube drainage occurred concurrently with clinical improvement. Intrapleural instillation of streptokinase appears to be a safe adjunctive therapeutic tool to facilitate drainage of persistent empyema in the small number of pediatric patients in whom it has been employed. Additional study will be required to further assess the long-term therapeutic efficacy and consequences of intrapleural streptokinase therapy.

Empyema thoracis. Factors influencing morbidity and mortality

The effects of delay in surgical treatment and the choice of operation on morbidity associated with empyema thoracis were evaluated in 122 consecutive patients. Patients (71 from a private practice and 51 from an inner-city trauma/indigent care facility) eligible for study were divided into treatment groups of chest tube only (CT = 39) and open drainage (OD = 19), or decortication (DC = 65). Delay in treatment was defined as greater than 3 days from recognition of empyema to CT and greater than 14 days to OD or DC when chest tubes were inadequate or were not used initially. Delay in OD significantly increased total illness (p = 0.023), days until removal of chest tubes (p = 0.037), and hospital stay (p = .048), but did not affect postoperative stay. Delay in DC increased total illness (p = 0.0001), but did not affect other variables. Delay in CT increased mortality from 3.4 percent to 16 percent. Delay did not increase mortality in OD and DC. DC was superior to OD in patients requiring major operation in total illness days (DC = 36.1 vs OD = 106.1) (p = 0.0005), days until removal of tubes (DC = 7.5 vs OD = 78.3) (p = 0.0001), and postoperative stay (DC = 11.6 vs OD = 17.3) (p = 0.018). Overall mortality was lowest in the DC group (6.1 percent). Delay in treatment increases morbidity and DC is more effective than OD in reducing morbidity and mortality when surgical intervention is necessary.

Role of lung decortication in symptomatic empyemas in children

Despite appropriate antibiotics and pleural drainage, the condition of some children with empyema fails to improve. In a 5-year period, 10 children ranging in age from 2 to 16 years underwent lung decortication for a refractory, symptomatic empyema, which had developed 3 to 5 weeks after an initial pneumonic infiltrate. Responsible organisms included beta-hemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, or Streptococcus pneumoniae in 6 children. Negative cultures were found in 4 children. The initial computed tomographic scan of the chest in 4 of 8 patients showed more than 75% limitation of lung expansion by the contents of the empyema cavity. In 4 other patients, an extensive pleural peel was seen on initial computed tomographic scan of the chest. Several studies also showed cystic lesions in the collapsed lung. Multiple computed tomographic scans in 3 patients confirmed the lack of clinical and chest roentgenographic improvement with conservative therapy. At decortication in each, the visceral and parietal pleural peel was completely removed, freeing the trapped lung. Two patients also had a concomitant lobectomy for a necrotic right upper lobe (1 patient) and left lower lobe (1). Clinical improvement was marked, with return of temperature, white blood cell count, and appetite to normal. Postoperative morbidity was minimal. Analysis of these patients in whom traditional conservative therapy failed suggested that the initial management during the early exudative phase was often delayed and was not aggressive enough from the standpoint of pleural drainage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)