Clinical Observation of Pediatric Empyema

ABSTRACT

Seventy cases of empyema treated on the pediatric Service of Kwangju Christian Hospital during 9 years 6 months from Jan. 1970 to Jun. 1979 were analyzed and summerized as follows 1. Males outnumbered females 38 to 32. No seasonal difference in prevalence was notes. 2. About 60% of empyema(41 cases) were on the right side and 36% on the left side. In 3 cases both sides were affected. The most common concurrent disease was pneumonia, which was suspected as th etiology of empyema. 3. Common chief complaints were dyspnea(53%), fever(47%) and cough(43%). 4. Upon culture of pus, 21 cases among 63 cases(33%) showed no bacterial growth, indicating that had under gone antibacterical treatment before admission. 5. The most common causative organism was Staphylococcus aureus(41.2%) followed vy Pseudomonas(7.9%) Streptococcus(4.8%) E.Coli(4.8%) and Pneumococcus(4.8%). 6. Upon sensitivity test, no resistance was observed to Methicillin and Amikacin, but most of the causative agents were sensitive to Gentamicin, Cephalothin and Novobiocin, while they were least sensitive to Penicillin(17%) and colimycin(9%). 7. Average hospital days were 18, and two cases(2.9%) expired, both one year of age. Average duration of closed drainage was two weeks.