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Empyema - Treatment

Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to cure the infection and remove the collection of pus from the lung. Antibiotics are prescribed to control the infection. A doctor will place a chest tube to completely drain the pus. A surgeon may need to perform a procedure to peel away the lining of the lung (decortication) if the lung does not expand properly.

Expectations (prognosis):

Usually, empyema does not result in permanent pulmonary damage.

Complications:

A possible complication is pleural thickening.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of empyema.

Lungs

Respiratory system

Chest tube insertion - series

Reviewed last on: 3/1/2007
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.

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.

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