All issues > Volume 24(4); 1981

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1981;24(4):336-342. Published online April 15, 1981.

Clinical Observation of Pediatric Empyema.

Ai Ryung Kim, Bok Kun Kee, Myung Ho Lee

¹Department of Pediatrics, Presbyterian Medical Center, Jeonju, Korea

Abstract

Forth cases of empyema in children were observed during last 6 years from Jan. 1973 to Dec. 1978. The results were followed; 1.The ratio of male to female was 2.3:1. The most frequent age group was below 1 year (32.5%). 2.Incidence was more common in spring and winter(65%). 3.Symptoms on admission were fever (92.5%), dyspnea(72. 5%) cough(62. 5%) and chest pain (18.5%). 4. 32.5% of total patients showed no growth of organism and most common causative org-anism was staphylococcus (47.5 %). 5.In sensitivity test to staphylococcus, Cephalothin, Novobiocin, Doxycyclin and Oleandro-mycin showed 100% sensitivity and Kanamycin, Gentamycin, Erythromycin and Chloramp henicol showed about 90% sensitivity. Tetracyclin(75%), Ampicillin (77.8%) and Penicillin (87.5%) showed high resistancy. 6.Pneumonia(55%) was the most common associated disease and others were pyopneumot-horax, pulmonary tuberculosis, measles and septicemia. 7.The location of empyema was 22 case in the right side and 17 case in the left side. Only-one was in both side. 8.Most of patients (77.5%) showed mild anemia below Hgb. ll'gm% and all of the patients showed leukocytosis. 9.In the most cases (80%), combined therapy of antibiotics and thoracotomy was performed. Mortality rate was 2.5%. Average duration of closed thoracotomy was 12 days and hospitali-zation was 16 days.

Keywords :Empyema, Staphlococcus, Pneumonia, Thoracotomy