Schueckler O J, Rodriguez M I, Takita H
School of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 1995 Oct;36(5):515-7.
Most postpneumonectomy empyemas occur shortly after the surgery, but rarely do they manifest much later. We present our experience in treating two cases of delayed postpneumonectomy empyema and discuss its clinical features.
The diagnosis of delayed empyema is difficult as patients present with nonspecific symptoms. Consequently, there was a delay of several weeks in reaching the correct diagnosis. This is a retrospective case study of two patients.
The patients were admitted to hospital for appropriate care.
Two patients were diagnosed as having delayed postpneumonectomy empyema from consequential infection. Chest X-ray may provide helpful information such as the presence of air-fluid level or a mediastinal shift toward the remaining lung (by accumulation of pus in the postpneumonectomy cavity).
The patients were treated surgically.
In both cases the diagnosis of postpneumonectomy empyema was delayed, but eventually correct diagnosis was made. The outcome of the surgical therapy was successful.
Delayed postpneumonectomy empyema is a rare condition. The etiology in the majority of cases is probably due to hematogenous spread of bacteria from other parts of the body. Correct diagnosis of this condition is often delayed. The treatment is surgical.
大多数肺切除术后脓胸发生在手术后不久，但很少在很久之后才表现出来。我们介绍治疗两例延迟性肺切除术后脓胸的经验，并讨论其临床特征。
由于患者表现出非特异性症状，延迟性脓胸的诊断很困难。因此，在做出正确诊断前有几周的延迟。这是一项对两名患者的回顾性病例研究。
患者入院接受适当治疗。
两名患者被诊断为因继发感染而患有延迟性肺切除术后脓胸。胸部X光检查可能提供有用信息，如气液平面的存在或纵隔向健侧移位（因肺切除术后胸腔内积脓）。
对患者进行手术治疗。
两例患者的肺切除术后脓胸诊断均有延迟，但最终做出了正确诊断。手术治疗结果成功。
延迟性肺切除术后脓胸是一种罕见疾病。大多数情况下其病因可能是细菌从身体其他部位经血行播散所致。这种疾病的正确诊断常常延迟。治疗方法是手术。
