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Empyema

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Symptoms:

• Dry cough
• Fever and chills
• Excessive sweating , especially night sweats
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling ( malaise )
• Unintentional weight loss
• Chest pain , which worsens on deep inhalation (inspiration)

Signs and tests:

The health care provider may note abnormal findings, such as decreased breath sounds or a friction rub, when listening to the chest with a stethoscope ( auscultation ).

Tests may include the following:

• Chest x-ray
• Thoracentesis
• Pleural fluid gram stain and culture
• CT scan of chest

References:

Mason RJ, Broaddus VC, Murray JF, Nadel JA. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2005.

Ahmed RA, Marrie TJ, Huang JQ. Thoracic empyema in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Am J Med . October 2006;119:877-883.

Qureshi NR, Gleeson FV. Imaging of Pleural Disease. Clin Chest Med . June 2006;27:193-213.

• Review Date: 3/1/2007
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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