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Review
. 2024 Feb 5;32(Suppl1):S29-S36.
doi: 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2024.25759. eCollection 2024 Jan.

Empyema in children

Murat Kuru  1 , Tamer Altinok  1
Affiliations
Review

Empyema in children

Murat Kuru et al. Turk Gogus Kalp Damar Cerrahisi Derg. .

Abstract

Empyema is the infection of the fluid in the pleural space due to different causes. The most common cause of empyema in children is parapneumonic effusion. Although its frequency has decreased significantly with the use of antibiotics, it is still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The main aim in the treatment of empyema is to drain the pleural cavity to provide reexpansion of the compressed lung, to treat the parenchymal infection with appropriate antibiotic therapy, and to prevent complications that may develop in the acute and chronic periods. Treatment options for this disease vary depending on the stage of the disease. Treatment success in childhood empyema detected at an early stage is high. The diagnosis and treatment of empyema in children differs from adults. Due to rapid tissue regeneration in childhood, healing can occur without the need for aggressive treatment options.

Keywords: Children; empyema; parapneumonic effusion; pleura; tube thoracostomy..

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Stages of parapneumonic empyema.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Diagnosis and treatment algorithm for childhood parapneumonic effusion and empyema.
Figure 3
Figure 3. (a) Chest X-ray of a patient with empyema. (b) Thorax CT of a patient with empyema. (c) Chest X-ray after treatment. (d) Thorax CT after treatment. CT: Computed tomography.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Pre- and posttreatment images of a patient with open drainage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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