Thoracoscopic debridement for acute pediatric empyema: efficacy of ultrasonic surgical device.

Few studies have examined thoracoscopic treatment for pediatric empyema. We encountered three children with thoracic empyema successfully treated by thoracoscopic debridement. Patients were a 3-year-old girl, a 17 month-old boy and a 13-year-old girl who developed thoracic empyema during therapy for pneumonia. We performed dissection and debridement under thoracoscopy and resolved fibrinopurulent collections using an ultrasonic surgical device in two cases to search the dissection plane while minimizing injury to the lung parenchyma. Ultrasonic surgical device (USUTM) is very useful for performing effective debridement and irrigation with minimal pleural damage. Thoracoscopic debridement performed early in the course of therapy is recommended even for acute pediatric empyema and could prevent the unnecessary open surgical intervention or decortication.