Firasat Majid, Muhammad Zubair.
Management of empyema thoracis in children: tube thoracostomy versus early decortication.
J Surg Pak Jan ;16(2):67-70.

Objective To compare the morbidity and functional outcome of tube thoracostomy and early decortication in the management of empyema thoracis in children. Study design Comparative study. Place & Duration of study Department of Paediatric Surgery, Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur, from September 2009 to June 2010. Methodology A total of 60 cases were included in the study and divided into two groups, each having 30 patients. Group A was managed by tube thoracostomy while group B was managed by early decortication following tube thorcostomy. Radiological lung re-expansion and hospital stay in days were calculated and subjected to statistical analysis. Results In group A 16 (53%) patients were males and 14 (46%) females. Out of these 10 (33%) patients between 1-4 years of age. In group B 12 (40%) patients were males, with 11 (36%) patients between 1-4 years of age. Mean hospital stay was 15.23 days in tube thoracostomy group and 8.33 days in early decortication group. Radiological lung re-expansion in patients treated with tube thoracostomy (group A) was seen in 18 (60%) patients. In group B radiological lung re-expansion was noted in 24 (80%) patients. Conclusion Morbidity of early decortication in the management of empyema thoracis in children of 12 years and below was less than the tube thoracostomy with better radiological outcome.

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