ABSTRACTObjective: This study was disigned to confirm that the cortication is a highly effective treament for chronic empyema to analyze the results of surgical treatment and compared with other operations at Chợ Rẫy hospital during 10 years (1999-2008).
Methods: During 10 years (1999-2008), at Chợ Rẫy hospital, On the 152 decortication of chronic empyemas. The median age was 43 years old, male is approsche 3 times more than memale. These patients who underwent thoracotomy for decortication associated treatment with the irrigation of the deluted solution of betadine and physiotherapy post-operative.
Results: On 152 decorticated patients: 83 thick wall enkystic chronic empyema, 69 debidement decortication. The most common cause is parapneumonic empyemas, 65%. The clotted hemothorax post-thoracic trauma, 21% and 15% longtime delayded chest tube. The perioperative complications are 18%. The mortality is low, 3,3%.
•Group I (group of research): 129 patients (Decortication - Irrigation and respiratory physiotherapy postoperative) with good results 87%.
•Group II (group of evidence): 23 patients (Only decortication - Irrigation but none respiratory physiotherapy postoperative), the result is worse, 91,3 %.
Conclusion: Depite advances in surgical techniques and supportive therapy including resussitation, antibiotics in treatment of enkystic chronic empyema, the cortications was the originated value. The importance for success is associated therapy of the irrigations the pleural cavity with the diluted solution of betadine and respiratory physiotherapy, made good effective re-expansion of the lungs.
