Thoracoscopic management of empyema in children.

The appropriate management of empyema in children is controversial. Traditional surgical approaches have included thoracotomy and open drainage, decortication, and thoracoplasty. While generally effective, these procedures can be associated with considerable morbidity. We have sought to assess the utility of video-assisted thoracoscopic adhesiolysis and pleural debridement for the treatment of empyema in children. Nine children with postpneumonic empyema unsuccessfully managed with a single attempt at closed tube thoracostomy underwent thoracoscopic drainage during the past 2 years. The empyema was successfully treated with this technique in seven patients with no further interventions being required. Procedures performed early in the fibrinopurulent stage were technically easier. The average time before chest tube removal was 8.5 days. An immunocompromised patient required a subsequent open decortication and a patient with a coagulopathy required two subsequent open procedures for drainage of a recurrent hemothorax. We conclude from this experience that video-assisted thoracoscopic adhesiolysis and pleural debridement can be successfully performed in children. Benefits include good visualization of the entire thoracic cavity for more effective debridement and efficient drainage, and subjectively diminished postoperative pain and associated morbidity.