Evaluation of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication in treatment of drug-resistant tuberculous empyema / 中华外科杂志

Objective: To examine the safety and efficacy of the uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication in treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis empyema. Methods: From January 2018 to December 2020, 122 cases of tuberculous empyema treated by decortication in Department of Surgery, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 100 males and 22 females, aged(M(IQR)) 29.5(28.0) years (range: 13 to 70 years). According to the surgical approach and drug resistance, patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis who underwent uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication were included in group A (n=22), and those who underwent thoracotomy decortication were included in group B (n=28). Drug-sensitive patients who underwent uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication were included in group C (n=72). There was no statistical difference in the baseline data of the three groups (P>0.05). The operation, early postoperative recovery, and prognosis-related indicators were compared among three groups by Kruskal-Wallis test and χ2 test by Mann-Whitney U test and Bonferroni method between groups A and B, groups A and C. Results: The intraoperative blood loss of group A, group B, and group C was 200(475) ml, 300(200) ml, and 225(300) ml, respectively. There was no significant difference in intraoperative hemorrhage (H=2.74, P=0.254) and treatment outcome (χ2=4.76, P=0.575) among the three groups. Compared with group B, the operation time of group A (302.5(187.5) minutes vs. 200.0(60.0) minutes, U=171.0, P=0.007) and postoperative pulmonary reexpansion duration (4.5(3.0) months vs. 3.0 (2.2) months, U=146.5, P=0.032) were longer, and the postoperative drainage duration (9.5(7.8) days vs. 13.0(10.0) days, U=410.0, P=0.044), and the postoperative hospitalization time (12.0(7.8) days vs. 14.5(4.8) days, U=462.2, P=0.020) were shorter. There was no significant difference in complications between group A and group B (63.6%(14/22) vs. 71.4%(20/28), χ2=0.34, P=0.558). Compared with group C, the postoperative drainage duration of group A (9.5(7.8) days vs. 7.0(4.0) days, U=543.5, P=0.031), the postoperative hospitalization time (12.0(7.8) days vs. 9.0(4.0) days, U=533.0, P=0.031) and postoperative pulmonary reexpansion duration (4.5(3.0) months vs. 3.0(2.0) months, U=961.5, P=0.001) were longer. The operation time (302.5(187.5) minutes vs. 242.5(188.8) minutes, U=670.5, P=0.278), and complications (63.6%(14/22) vs. 40.3%(29/72), χ2=3.70, P=0.054) were not different between group A and group C. Conclusions: For drug-resistant tuberculous empyema, the uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic decortication can achieve the same good therapeutic effect as drug-sensitive tuberculous empyema, and it is as safe as thoracotomy. At the same time, it has the advantage of minimally invasive and can accelerate the early postoperative recovery of patients.

Uniportal thoracoscopic decortication for stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema of 158 cases / 中华外科杂志

Objective: To examine the safety and feasibility of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication in patients presenting with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema. Methods: From August 2017 to July 2020, 158 patients of stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema underwent uniportal VATS decortication with partial rib resection and customized periosteal stripper in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. There were 127 males and 31 females, aged (M(IQR)) 32(28) years (range:14 to 78 years). Follow-up was performed in the outpatient clinic or via social communication applications, at monthly thereafter. If there was no air leak and chest tube drainage was less than 50 ml/day, a chest CT was performed. If the lung was fully re-expanded, chest tubes were removed. All patients received a follow-up chest CT 3 to 6 months following their initial operations which was compared to their preoperative imaging. Results: There was one conversion to open thoracotomy. The operative time was 2.75 (2.50) hours (range: 1.5 to 7.0 hours), and median blood loss was 100 (500) ml (range: 50 to 2 000 ml). There were no perioperative mortalities. There were no major complications except 1 case of redo-VATS for hemostasis due to excessive drainage and 1 case of incision infection, The incidence of prolonged air leaks (>5 days) was 80.3%(126/157). The postoperative hospital stay was 5.00 (2.25) days (range: 2 to 15 days). All patients were discharged with 2 chest tubes, and the median duration drainage was 21.00 (22.50) days (range: 3 to 77 days). Follow-up was completed in all patients over a duration of 20 (14) months (range: 12 to 44 months). At follow-up, 149 patients(94.9%) recovered to grade Ⅰ level, 7 patients to grade Ⅱ level, and 1 patient to grade Ⅲ level. Conclusion: Uniportal VATS decortication involving partial rib resection and a customized periosteal stripper is safe and effective for patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema.

Empiema de necesidad / Empyema of Necessity

Introducción: El empiema de necesidad o empiema necessitatis (del latín) es un hallazgo raro en la actualidad y la tuberculosis es la causa más común, sobre todo en pacientes inmunodeprimidos. Objetivo: Presentar un caso con un empiema de necesidad como complicación de la tuberculosis extrapulmonar Caso clínico: Paciente de sexo femenino de 47 años de edad, sin antecedentes de enfermedad conocidos. Ingresa por una neumonía de la base derecha y como complicación un empiema de necesidad de naturaleza tuberculosa. Es tratada de forma médica y quirúrgica, tuvo una evolución favorable. Conclusiones: El conocimiento de la epidemiología de la zona donde se diagnosticó la enferma y la medicina personalizada contribuyeron a un diagnóstico rápido y a un tratamiento médico y quirúrgico acorde a los protocolos establecidos para la tuberculosis extrapleural(AU)

Introduction: Empyema of necessity (or empyema necessitatis) is, at present, a rare finding, of which tuberculosis is the most common cause, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Objective: To present a case of empyema of necessity as a complication of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Clinical case: 47-year-old female patient, without known history of disease, who was admitted due to pneumonia of the right base and, as a complication, an empyema of necessity of a tubercular nature. She was treated medically and surgically, and had a favorable evolution. Conclusions: Knowledge of the epidemiology of the area where the patient was diagnosed, together with personalized medical care, contributed to a rapid diagnosis, as well as to the medical and surgical treatment provided according to the protocols established for extrapleural tuberculosis(AU)

Empyema in children.

Closed chest drainage is very effective in the management of empyema thoracis. Fifty cases of empyema thoracis in children were treated in the department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal between 1994 and 2000. The cases were referred from TB Hospital, Chingmeirong, Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Porompat and chest and paediatric wards of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. Most of the cases were managed with dosed chest intercostal drainage. The lung expanded well in majority of the cases. Forty cases were aspirated initially in the concerned departments. Only 10 cases of massive empyema were aspirated in this department. Thirty-eight cases were treated with drainage and 4 cases were subjected to repeated aspiration. Eight cases of empyema (tuberculous) were subjected to thoracotomy and decortication. One case had recurrent empyema after decortication. Forty cases were given antituberculosis drugs.