Open AccessSurgical management of pleural empyema in the very elderly
Author(s) -
Michael Schweigert,
Norbert Solymosi,
Attila Dubecz,
Martin Beron,
Lucas Thumfart,
D. Oefner-Velano,
Hubert J. Stein
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
annals of the royal college of surgeons of england
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.39
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1478-7083
pISSN - 0035-8843
DOI - 10.1308/003588412x13171221592212
Subject(s) - medicine , empyema , parapneumonic effusion , pneumonia , pleural empyema , surgery , retrospective cohort study , sepsis , referral , pleural effusion , pleural fluid , family medicine
Parapneumonic pleural empyema is a critical illness. Age is an acknowledged risk factor for both pneumonia and pleural empyema. Furthermore, elderly patients often have severe co-morbidity. In the case of pleural empyema, their clinical condition is likely to deteriorate fast, resulting in life threatening septic disease. To prevent this disastrous situation we adapted early surgical debridement as the primary treatment option even in very elderly patients. This study shows the outcome of surgically managed patients with pleural empyema who are 80 years or older.