Pleural empyema
A pleural empyema is the presence of pus in the pleural cavity.
Antibiotics have made the condition uncommon.
A pleural empyema is, in effect, an abscess:
- there is usually a high swinging fever and a leucocytosis
- the most effective treatment is surgical drainage
There is a spectrum of abnormality from pure exudative parapneumonic effusions to frank pus. It is important to treat any effusion with large numbers of inflammatory cells and/or organisms as an empyema.
Reference
- Brims FJ et al. Empyema thoracis: new insights into an old disease. Eur Respir Rev. 2010 Sep;19(117):220-8.
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