Management of Empyema thoracis in children--a study of 65 cases.

Sixty-five cases of pleural empyema (50 boys and 15 girls) were seen between January 1983 and June 1986. Fifty-three of these 65 children were below 10 years of age. Pulmonary infection was the commonest underlying cause. Cough with or without expectoration (98%) and fever (95%) were the commonest symptoms followed by breathlessness (85%) and chest pain (83%). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from pus and blood in 61% and 18% of cases, respectively, while pseudomonas was grown in 8% and 3%. Most of the children (88%) were treated with antibiotics and tube thoracostomy drainage. Decortication was needed in 12% of cases. There were four deaths in this study. The overall success rate was 94%.