HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND BACTERIOLOGY OF PLEURAL
INFECTION This section provides background information for reference, interest and to set …

Abstract In the United States, approximately one million patients each year develop a pleural
effusion. Pleural effusions have classically been divided into transudative and exudative …

Background More than 30% of patients with pleural infection either die or require surgery.
Drainage of infected fluid is key to successful treatment, but intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy …

Background Intrapleural fibrinolytic agents are used in the drainage of infected pleural-fluid
collections. This use is based on small trials that did not have the statistical power to …

Parapneumonic effusions occur in 20 to 40% of patients who are hospitalized with
pneumonia. The mortality rate in patients with a parapneumonic effusion is higher than that …

There is great variation worldwide in the man-agement of patients with pleural infection, and
approaches differ between physicians. 1–14 In the UK up to 40% of empyema patients come …

The aim of this study is to review the current evidence on the diagnosis and management of
empyema. The American Pediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Clinical Trials …

Background: The role of intrapleural fibrinolytic agents in the treatment of childhood
empyema has not been established. A randomised double blind placebo controlled trial of …

Background Pleural infection, including parapneumonic effusions and thoracic empyema,
may complicate lower respiratory tract infections. Standard treatment of these collections in …

Pleural space infections are increasing in incidence and continue to have high associated
morbidity, mortality, and need for invasive treatments such as thoracic surgery. The …