| pubmed-article:2577548 | pubmed:abstractText | In 162 patients treated surgically for pleural empyema, 212 surgical interventions were necessary. As primary treatment cest-tube drainage was more effective than closed chest tubes. Decortication, which was carried out in 43 patients, was followed by further surgical procedures in three patients. If primary treatment is not effective early decortication is indicated to avoid septic complications (30-day mortality amounted to 7.4%). Two patients died from septic complications. | lld:pubmed |
