Empyema

Empyema is a condition in which a lung infection causes the accumulation of pus in the cavity between the lung and the membrane that surrounds it, known as the pleural space. This fluid can amount to a pint or more, which puts pressure on the lungs, lessening an individual's ability to breathe comfortably (1).

Empyema is most often the result of complications from pneumonia, but can occur as a result of a number of pulmonary (lung-related) conditions, including an abscess in the lung, a chest injury, or surgery within the thorax (chest area) (1, 2). The accumulation and thickening of fluid around the lungs is also a symptom of mesothelioma, and though individuals with mesothelioma may initially appear to have empyema, the conditions are distinct (3).

The development of empyema takes place in three stages: 1) The cavity between the lungs fills with a thin fluid containing pus, 2) the fluid thickens and a coagulating protein begins to accumulate, and 3) the lungs become encased within a thick covering of fibrous material (2). Symptoms of empyema include dry cough, fever, chills, excessive sweating, unintentional weight loss, chest pain and difficulty breathing (1). Usually, empyema does not result in permanent lung damage.

Tests to screen for empyema include chest x-ray, extraction and examination of the fluid surrounding the lungs (known as a pleural fluid gram stain and culture), or a CT scan of the chest. Treatment of empyema involves the removal of the fluid and an attempt to cure the underlying infection through antibiotics. The pus is removed through a chest tube, which is a draining tube inserted between the ribs and into the pleural space (4). If the lung does not expand properly following the draining, the condition may require a decortication (1). This is major surgery involving the peeling away of the lining of the pleural cavity, called the pleura (3).

'Empyema' Sources:
  1. "Empyema." From MedlinePlus.com, a website by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Available: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000123.htm (Accessed July 23, 2007).
  2. Frey, R. J., PhD. "Empyema." From HealthAtoZ.com. Available: http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/empyema.jsp (Accessed July 23, 2007).
  3. "Decortication in treatment of mesothelioma." From Mesothelioma-Aid.com. Available: http://www.mesothelioma-aid.org/decortication.htm (Accessed July 23, 2007).
  4. "Chest tube insertion." From MedlinePlus.com. Available: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002947.htm (Accessed July 23, 2007).

 

 

 

 

 
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