Feasibility and Effectivity of Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery in the Management of Acute Empyema Thoracis A Prospective Study
Abstract: Introduction: Empyema thoracis is a condition in which pus and fluid from infected tissue collects in the pleural cavity. The optimal treatment of empyema thoracis, especially in the acute condition remains controversial, whether to go for a non operative approach (antibiotics and chest tube drainage) or an early operative regimen, VATS (Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery). The study is conducted to determine the effectiveness of VATS in the treatment of acute empyema thoracis.
Methods: We conducted a prospective comparative study between two methods of treatment i.e., chest tube insertion and VATS as primary intervention in the acute empyema thoracis. Each group consisted of 40 patients who were diagnosed as acute empyema thoracis during the period of January 2021 and June 2022. The duration of chest tube in situ, hospital stay, cost, complications, success and outcomes were compared between the two groups.