All issues > Volume 28(7); 1985

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1985;28(7):674-682. Published online July 31, 1985.

The Clinical Observations of Empyema Thoracis in Childhood.

Young Yull Ko, Kwang Wook Ko

¹Department of Pediarics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University

Abstract

We made a clinical observation of 36 cases of empyema thoracis at the Pediatric department of S.N.U.H. during the 5 year period from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 1984. The results were as follows; 1)The most frequent age group was infancy, which was accounted to 44.4% of all cases. Male to Female sex ratio was about 1 : 1.1, and the highest seasonal incidence was in Spring. 2)The main symptoms were fever, cough, dyspnea and/or tachypnea in order of frequency. Vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal distension were prominent in infancy. 3) Hematologic findings on admission revealed hemoglobin level below 12gm%, leukocyte count above 10,000/cum.m, and elevated E.S.R. in most cases. 4)Pleural fluid obtained from patients showed high leukocyte count with neutrophil predominant, high protein level (mean 3,646mg%), and low glucose level (mean 26.3mg%). 5)Findings from pleural fluid cultures were negative in 12 cases (33.3%), nine of whom had been given antibiotics for an average of five days before admission. The most common causative agent was Staphylococcus aureus (47.2%), which was relatively sensitive to Amikin, Cephalothin, and Gentamycin. 6)The most frequent lesion predisposing to empyema was pneumonia (53.8%), being remarkable in Staphylococcal empyema. 7)There was no significant difference in location of empyema. In only one case (2.8%), both sides were involved. 8)The majority of patients were treated with antibiotics and closed drainage. The remainders (11.2%) needed open drainage or ecortication. 9)The duratoin and amount of closed drainage were 12 days and 242cc in mean values. On the average, 72% of pleural fluid was drained within the first three days.

Keywords :Empyema