Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Pediatric Empyema by Two-Port Technique: A Single-Center Experience with 167 Consecutive Cases

Pleural drainage vs video-assisted thoracoscopic debridement in children affected by pleural empyema

BACKGROUND

Both thoracic drainage and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) are available treatment for pleural empyema in pediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective multicenter study includes pediatric patients affected by pleural empyema treated from 2004 to 2021 at two Italian centers. Patients were divided in G1 (traditional approach) and G2 (VATS). Demographic and recovery data, laboratory tests, imaging, surgical findings, post-operative management and follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS

70 patients with a mean age of 4.8 years were included; 12 (17.1%) in G1 and 58 (82.9%) in G2. Median surgical time was 45 min in G1, 90 in G2 (p < 0.05). Mean duration of thoracic drainage was 7.3 days in G1, 6.2 in G2 (p > 0.05). Patients became afebrile after a mean of 6.4 days G1, 3.9 in G2 (p < 0.05). Mean duration of antibiotic therapy was 27.8 days in G1, 25 in G2 (p < 0.05). Mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 16 days in G1, 12.1 in G2 (p < 0.05). There were 4 cases (33.3%) of postoperative complications in G1, 17 (29.3%) in G2 (p > 0.05). 2 (16.7%) patients of G1 needed a redosurgery with VATS, 1 (1.7%) in G2.

CONCLUSIONS

VATS is an effective and safe procedure in treatment of Pleural Empyema in children: it is associated to reduction of chest tube drainage, duration of fever, hospital stay, time of antibiotic therapy and recurrence rate.

Debate 1: Is the Management of Childhood Empyema Primarily Medical, or Surgical?

This review aims to discuss the role of medical and surgical therapy in the management of pediatric empyema. There is considerable debate on the optimal treatment for the same. Early intervention is crucial as it allows rapid recovery of these patients. Antibiotics and adequate pleural drainage form the two pillars in the management of empyema. Chest tube drainage alone has significant failure rates due to its inability to clear loculated effusion. The two main modalities which target these loculations to augment drainage are video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy. The latest evidence shows that both these interventions are equally effective. Children who present late are usually not candidates for intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy or VATS; for them, decortication remains the only option.

Open pleural decortication for the late stage empyema thoracis in children: a retrospective observational study from a tertiary hospital of eastern Nepal

The management of late-stage empyema thoracis requires surgical intervention. We performed a retrospective descriptive analysis of open pleural decortication for late stage empyema thoracis in 55 children (age ≤ 15 years; median age = 6 years; age range = 1-15 years; 40 [72.7%] boys) over 42 months. The median time to thoracotomy from the onset of symptoms was 24 days, and the median duration of hospital stay before and after surgery was 15 and 4 days, respectively. Three (5.5%) patients had necrotising pneumonia, requiring debridement; 4 (7.3%) patients had superficial surgical site infection; 12 (21.8%) patients had perioperative pus culture positive for bacteria; and 3 (5.5%) patients had tubercular aetiology. There was no operative mortality. At median follow-up of 18 months, all patients are in good general health. Open pleural decortication leads to rapid resolution of symptoms and reduces hospital stay in paediatric late-stage empyema thoracis.

Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery in Early Stage of Pediatric Pleural Empyema Improves Outcome

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of this study was to observe outcomes of early decortication in a treatment of pleural empyema using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

METHODS

 The case records of 21 pediatric patients who underwent VATS for empyema between 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were observed based on demographic, laboratory, and clinical data, as well as treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

 Out of a total of 59 patients treated for pleural empyema, 21 (10 male and 11 female) children with a median age of 5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2.8; 6.0) received VATS. The empyema was classified as stage I in 2 patients (9.5%), stage II in 4 patients (19%), and stage III in 15 patients (71.5%). Median surgical time was 60 minutes (IQR 50; 90). There were 2 (9.5%) postoperative complications and 1 recurrence (4.8%). Children treated in stages I and II showed significantly better postoperative results compared with the children treated in stage III. Length of hospital stay (8 vs. 10 days; p = 0.01), length of intensive care unit stay (1 vs. 5 days; p < 0.001), duration of chest tube drainage (4 vs. 6 days; p = 0.043), duration of postoperative fever (1.5 vs. 4 days; p = 0.001), and surgical time (40 vs. 70 minutes; p < 0.001) were significantly shorter in children operated in stages I and II than in stage III.

CONCLUSION

 Early decortication using a VATS is a successful, effective, and easily performed surgical method in the treatment of pediatric pleural empyema, as well as a method that significantly improves recovery time and shortens the hospital stay.