Pediatric empyema: Outcome analysis of thoracoscopic management.

OBJECTIVE: Thoracoscopy has become a favored modality in treating pediatric empyema. However, the factors affecting the outcome of thoracoscopic management remain unclear. In this study, we report our experience using thoracoscopy to treat empyema in pediatric patients and investigate the factors affecting outcome.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the demographic data, clinical presentation, radiographic findings, laboratory studies, and hospital course of 101 pediatric patients who underwent thoracoscopy for empyema between 1995 and 2008.

RESULTS: Empyema was due to pneumococcus infection in 64 patients (63.4%), and 69% of the cultured microorganisms were penicillin nonsusceptible. Chest computed tomography scan was performed in 96 patients, in whom necrotizing pneumonia was noted in 35 (36.5%). Preoperative intensive care unit admission was required for 33 patients (32.7%). Preoperative chest tube drainage was performed in 36 patients (35.6%), and thoracoscopy was used as the primary treatment in the remaining 65 patients. Complications occurred in 10 patients (9.9%); there were no mortalities. The median postoperative hospital stay was 13 days. Multivariate analyses showed that necrotizing pneumonia was significantly associated with the presence of complications, and that necrotizing pneumonia, preoperative intensive care unit admission, and preoperative chest tube drainage were independent risk factors for a longer postoperative hospital stay.

CONCLUSION: The clinical presentations of empyema in children requiring thoracoscopy are diverse. Patients with necrotizing pneumonia and those requiring preoperative intensive care unit admission and undergoing preoperative chest tube drainage are at high risk for developing complications and requiring longer hospital stay after thoracoscopy.