Characteristics, management and changing incidence of children with empyema in a paediatric intensive care unit.

AIM: Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions for empyema increased following the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). We describe the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes for children with empyema and compare incidence before and after PCV13. METHODS: Retrospective study of patients <18 years admitted to The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne PICU with empyema between January 2016 and July 2019. We investigated the incidence of empyema during two time periods: 2007-2010 (pre-PCV13) and 2016-2019 (post-PCV13). RESULTS: Seventy-one children (1.9% of all PICU admissions) were admitted to PICU with empyema between 2016 and 2019. Sixty-one (86%) had unilateral disease, 11 (16%) presented with shock and 44 (62%) were ventilated. Streptococcus pneumoniae and group A Streptococcus were the most commonly identified pathogens. Forty-five (63%) were managed with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). There was a 31% reduction in empyema hospitalisations as a proportion of all hospitalisations (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59-0.8), but a 2.8-fold increase in empyema PICU admissions as a proportion of all PICU admissions (95% CI 2.2-3.5, P < 0.001). For the PICU cohort, this was accompanied by reduction in PIM2 probability of death (median 1% vs. 1.9%, P = 0.02) and duration of intubation (median 69 h vs. 126.5 h, P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: In children with empyema in PICU 62% required ventilation, 16% had features of shock and 63% received VATS. Empyema admissions, as a proportion of all PICU admissions, increased in the era post-PCV13 compared to pre-PCV13 despite no increase in illness severity at admission.

The effect of a novel slow-flow irrigation drainage tube on anastomotic leakage and empyema after the resection of esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer.

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage with empyema is one of the most severe complications of esophagectomy. We invented a new type of slow-flow irrigation drainage tube to improve the smooth pleural drainage, which contributed to the recovery of anastomotic leakage. METHODS: In this study, 42 patients, from 2012 to 2019, who underwent esophagectomy and postoperative anastomotic leakage with persistent empyema, were enrolled and distributed into irrigation drainage tube group (I+) or non-irrigation drainage tube group (I-). In (I+) group, the slow-flow irrigation drainage tube was placed along the primary pleural drainage tube into the empyema cavity, irrigated with normal saline. Clinicopathological features and perioperative complications of all patients were collected and compared to determine the differences between the two groups with statistical analysis. RESULTS: All 20 patients were distributed into (I+) group and 22 into (I-) group. The two groups were comparable in clinicopathological features. When compared with (I-) group, patients in (I+) group achieved significantly shorter healing duration and postoperative hospital stay. The complications resulting from anastomotic leakage in (I+) group were relatively fewer than those in (I-) group, including postoperative bleeding (0 vs. 1) and pulmonary complications (7 vs. 13). Moreover, 5 reoperations for rescuing bleeding or severe thoracic infection were performed in (I-) group, while none in (I+) group. CONCLUSIONS: The slow-flow irrigation drainage tube is a safe and effective treatment of anastomotic leakage and empyema. Additional prospective study is required to furtherly determine the improvement of drainage and extended application in deep infections located in thorax.

Paediatric empyema: worsening disease severity and challenges identifying patients at increased risk of repeat intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Empyema is the most common complication of pneumonia. Primary interventions include chest drainage and fibrinolytic therapy (CDF) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We describe disease trends, clinical outcomes and factors associated with reintervention. DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS: Retrospective cohort of paediatric empyema cases requiring drainage or surgical intervention, 2011-2018, admitted to a large Australian tertiary children's hospital. RESULTS: During the study, the incidence of empyema increased from 1.7/1000 to 7.1/1000 admissions (p<0.001). We describe 192 cases (174 CDF and 18 VATS), median age 3.0 years (IQR 1-5), mean fever duration prior to intervention 6.2 days (SD ±3.3 days) and 50 (26%) cases admitted to PICU. PICU admission increased during the study from 18% to 34% (p<0.001). Bacteraemia occurred in 23/192 (12%) cases. A pathogen was detected in 131/192 (68%); Streptococcus pneumoniae 75/192 (39%), S. aureus 25/192 (13%) and group A streptococcus 13/192 (7%). Reintervention occurred in 49/174 (28%) and 1/18 (6%) following primary CDF and VATS. Comparing repeat intervention with single intervention cases, a continued fever postintervention increased the likelihood for a repeat intervention (OR 1.3 per day febrile; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.4, p<0.0001). Younger age, prolonged fever preintervention and previous antibiotic treatment were not associated with initial treatment failure (all p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We report increasing incidence and severity of empyema in a large tertiary hospital. One in four patients required a repeat intervention after CDF. Neither clinical variables at presentation nor early investigations were able to predict initial treatment failure.

Cerebral empyema and abscesses due to Cutibacterium acnes.

INTRODUCTION: Cutibacterium acnes is a commensal bacterium of the skin, frequently reported in prosthetic shoulder or spinal implant infections, but rarely in cranial and intracranial infections. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with intracranial samples positive to Cutibacterium acnes managed in the neurosurgical units of our hospital of Lyon, France, between 2008-2016. RESULTS: We included 29 patients, of whom 23 had empyema (with or without abscess), 17 had cranial osteomyelitis, and six only had abscess. Prior neurosurgery was reported in 28 patients, and the remaining patient had four spontaneous abscesses. Twelve patients had polymicrobial infections, including methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus in 11 cases. The clinical diagnosis was difficult because of indolent and delayed symptoms: a CT scan or MRI was required. Thirteen patients (52%) had material at the infection site. All patients with bone flap implant or bones from biological banks had a bone flap-associated infection. Drainage was surgically performed in 25 cases or by CT scan-guided aspiration in four cases. All patients received an adapted antibiotic therapy (from three weeks to six months). The outcome was favorable in 28 patients. Three patients relapsed during the antibiotic therapy, requiring further surgery. CONCLUSION: Cutibacterium acnes can be responsible for postoperative empyema and cerebral abscesses, with particular indolent forms, which make their diagnosis difficult. They are often polymicrobial and associated with bone flap osteomyelitis. Their outcome is favorable after drainage and adapted antibiotic therapy.

Comparison of medical and/or surgical management of 23 cats with intracranial empyema or abscessation.

OBJECTIVES: Feline intracranial abscessation or empyema is infrequently reported in the veterinary literature. To date, the largest study is based on a population of 19 cats with otogenic infection. The aim of this study was to review a larger population of cats with intracranial empyema from multiple aetiologies and document their signalment, imaging findings, treatment protocols (including medical and/or surgical management) and to compare outcomes. METHODS: Cases presenting to a single referral centre over a 10 year period with compatible history, neurological signs and imaging findings consistent with intracranial abscessation and empyema were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Twenty-three cats met the inclusion criteria. Advanced imaging (CT and/or MRI) was performed in 22/23 cats; one case was diagnosed via ultrasound. Ten cases underwent medical and surgical management combined, 10 underwent solely medical management and three were euthanased at the time of diagnosis. Short-term outcome showed that 90% of surgically managed and 80% of medically managed cats were alive at 48 h post-diagnosis. Long-term survival showed that surgically managed cases and medically managed cases had a median survival time of 730 days (range 1-3802 days) and 183 days (range 1-1216 days), respectively. No statistical significance in short- or long-term survival ( P >0.05) was found between medically and surgically managed groups. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Feline intracranial abscessation and empyema are uncommon conditions that have historically been treated with combined surgical and medical management. This study documents that, in some cases, intracranial abscessation and empyema can also be successfully treated with medical management alone.

Sphenoidal sinogenic extradural empyema associated with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

Intracranial empyema is a rare but serious complication of sinusitis in children. Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative syndromes (MMS), including juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), can lead to immunosuppression, thus favouring infections. We report the case of a sphenoid sinogenic retro-clival extradural empyema in a 14-year-old female patient associated with JMML. Treatment consisted in an endonasal transphenoidal drainage of the empyema associated with intravenous antibiotherapy. The patient was thereafter enrolled in chemotherapeutic treatment with Azacitidine. The disease progressed to blast phase, indicating bone marrow graft. This is the first reported case of an endocranial complication of bacterial sinusitis associated with MMS in a child.

Real-time ultrasound-guided pigtail catheter chest drain for complicated parapneumonic effusion and empyema in children - 16-year, single-centre experience of radiologically placed drains.

BACKGROUND: Chest tube drainage with fibrinolytics is a cost-effective treatment option for parapneumonic effusion and empyema in children. Although the additional use of ultrasound (US) guidance is recommended, this is rarely performed in real time to direct drain insertion. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of real-time US-guided, radiologically placed chest drains at a tertiary university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective review over a 16-year period of all children with parapneumonic effusion or empyema undergoing percutaneous US-guided drainage at our centre. RESULTS: Three hundred and three drains were placed in 285 patients. Treatment was successful in 93% of patients after a single drain (98.2% success with 2 or 3 drains). Five children had peri-insertion complications, but none was significant. The success rate improved with experience. Although five patients required surgical intervention, all children treated since 2012 were successfully treated with single-tube drainage only and none has required surgery. CONCLUSION: Our technique for inserting small-bore (≤8.5 F) catheter drains under US guidance is effective and appears to be a safe procedure for first-line management of complicated parapneumonic effusion and empyema.

Neuroendoscopic aspiration and lavage of intraventricular empyema following shunt infection in infants.

Bacterial ventriculitis is one of the most common and serious complications of shunt placement. Shunt infection has varied management and is difficult to treat neurosurgically. We report a case of intraventricular empyema due to shunt infection. Standard management was failed for this case and reaccumulation of pus in the both ventricles. Neuroendoscopic surgery with intraventricular lavage and aspiration using cannula nasogastric tube (NGT) through a single burr hole, has successfully decreased the accumulation of intraventricular empyema. After lavage and aspiration, antibiotic can be distributed effectively to the affected area. Follow up imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture shown a good result and shorter length of stay in the hospital. Neuroendoscopy appears effective and safe for the management of bacterial ventriculitis due to shunt infection in infant. The strategy described in this report might be useful to treat intraventricular empyema.

Pyocystis: a systematic review.

Pyocystis, empyema cystis, vesical empyema are all terms that describe the purulent filled bladder that may develop in patients with defunctionalized bladders such as after supravesical urinary diversion without cystectomy or in patients with end-stage renal disease with anuria. It is a severe form of lower urinary tract infection. In addition to the local symptoms of suprapubic pain and malodorous discharge, the condition can be more serious with bacterial dissemination into the blood stream and ensuing sepsis and even mortality. The current review will discuss the pathogenesis, risk factors and management of this commonly forgotten complication of urinary diversion.

[Long Term Placement of Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot for Empyema with Bronchopleural Fistula].

A 63-years old man referred to our hospital complaining of fever and dyspnea. He had severe diabetes. Chest computed tomography revealed left empyema with bronchopleural fistula and right pneumonia. Chest drainage was performed, but his general condition was too bad to perform surgical treatment. We performed bronchial embolization with Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot (EWS) which successfully closed the bronchopleural fistula resulting in the cure of pneumonia. Even at 1 year after treatment, good condition is being kept under the placement of EWS.

[Post-pneumonectomy Empyema Successfully Treated with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy].

A 61-year-old man underwent right pneumonectomy for primary lung cancer. Four weeks later, he was referred to our hospital for empyema. After 2 months of irrigation with saline, vacuum-assited closure therapy followed by the open thoracotomy was started. After cleaning thoracic cavity bacteriologically, the thoracoplasty and muscle flap transposition was performed, and the empyema completely disappeared.

Uncovering what lies beneath a Salmonella enterica empyema.

A 67-year-old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and transfusional haemosiderosis developed Salmonella empyema caused by direct extension from splenic abscesses. She was successfully treated with antibiotics, pleural decortication and splenectomy. She had presented with fever after being treated for presumed pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion 2 months prior. CT scan showed splenic abscesses eroding through the diaphragm causing a left pleural empyema. Pleural fluid and spleen bacterial cultures grew Salmonella enterica. She was treated with 4 weeks of antibiotics and underwent surgical pleural decortication and splenectomy in the same sitting. She made a good postoperative recovery. Patients with severe iron overload are susceptible to various types of bacterial sepsis, including salmonellosis. It is unusual for enteric bacterial such as Salmonella to present with empyema, and should prompt a search for intra-abdominal infection. Pleural decortication and splenectomy can be performed during the same surgical sitting and can lead to good surgical outcomes.

Functional outcome of septic arthritis after anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

PURPOSE: Septic arthritis is a rare complication after cruciate ligament surgery. The lack of conclusive evidence makes it difficult to obtain a consensus concerning the best treatment option. METHODS: From June 1993 to May 2010, 31 patients met the inclusion criteria for this prospective case series. The average age at ACL injury was 33.5 years. Treatment protocol was based on the grade of infection. Options included arthroscopic treatment for infections of Gaechter grades 1 and 2 or arthrotomy for infections of grades 3 and 4. Graft retention was decided based on the clinical findings. The setting was a specialized trauma hospital. Follow-up included International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) forms, Tegner score, and Lysholm scores at a mean of six years (71 months; range, 13-140) after treatment. RESULTS: In all cases, treatment of infection was successful; overall, a mean of 2.6 operations were required. In eight cases, it was possible to salvage the graft. The Tegner activity level before the knee injury was 6.5 points. At follow-up, the average score was 4.5 points. The postoperative subjective IKDC score averaged 63. The mean Lysholm score was 63.9. On clinical examination, a mean extension deficit of 2.5° and a mean maximum flexion of 121° were found. In the single-legged hop test, a mean capacity of 68% compared with the uninjured side was measured. CONCLUSION: The stage-adapted procedure gives reliable results for septic arthritis after ACL surgery. There were no recurrences of septic arthritis or bone infection. Early infection can be managed arthroscopically with satisfactory results. More advanced infections should be addressed with a more radical approach. In conclusion, functional outcome in most of the presented cases was only fair compared with results from ACL surgery not complicated by infection.

Risk factors and clinical outcomes for spontaneous rupture of pyogenic liver abscess.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients with spontaneous rupture of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA). METHODS: A total of 602 patients diagnosed with PLA between January 2004 and July 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 23 patients experienced a spontaneous rupture of liver abscess (SRLA). RESULTS: The prevalence of SRLA was 3.8%. Using multivariate analysis, liver cirrhosis (OR 4.651, P = 0.009), gas-forming abscesses (OR 3.649, P = 0.026), abscess ≥6 cm in diameter (OR 10.989, P = 0.002) and other septic metastases (OR 1.710, P = 0.047) were risk factors for SRLA. Regarding the site of rupture, 20 (87.0%) patients had a localized rupture, specifically, subphrenic abscess in 3 (13.0%), peri-hepatic abscess in 10 (43.5%), localized peritoneal abscess in 3 (13.0%) and empyema in 4 (17.5%); and the other 3 (13%) had peritonitis. Ruptures resulting in peritonitis require urgent surgery, whereas localized ruptures were managed with surgical or percutaneous drainage in addition to appropriate antibiotics. The in-hospital mortality rate of SRLA was 4.3%. CONCLUSION: Patients with cirrhosis, having abscess ≥6 cm in diameter, gas-forming abscesses and other septic metastases in those with PLA should be monitored closely and may need early intervention for SRLA.

Efficacy and long-term clinical outcome of bronchial occlusion with endobronchial Watanabe spigots for persistent air leaks.

BACKGROUND: We reviewed our clinical experience and examined the efficacy and long-term outcome of bronchial occlusion with endobronchial Watanabe spigots (EWSs). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of patients who had undergone endoscopic bronchial occlusion with EWSs between July 2002 and July 2004. The affected bronchi were identified by chest computed tomography, pleurography, and balloon occlusion test. RESULTS: Of the 21 patients, 18 had underlying pulmonary complications, including chronic obstructive lung disease (n=14), cancer (n=4), pneumoconiosis (n=3), and pneumonia (n=1). Six (29%) achieved complete resolution and 12 (57%) experienced a reduction in air leaks after the first EWS insertion. Of the 12 patients with reduced air leaks, 10 subsequently underwent chemical pleurodesis and 5 (24%) achieved complete resolution after the procedure. A second EWS insertion procedure was performed for 8 patients: 2 achieved complete resolution and 5 achieved a further reduction in air leaks with complete resolution after chemical pleurodesis. Eighteen of the 21 patients were followed up at an outpatient clinic after discharge: 13 for more than 12 months and 4 for more than 84 months. During the follow-up period, most patients did not show any obvious pulmonary complications. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that bronchial occlusion with EWSs was effective in stopping or reducing air leaks and that 86% of our patients finally achieved complete resolution, some when the occlusion was combined with chemical pleurodesis. The rate of complications was acceptable, even after long-term placement.

[Intracranial empyemas: Epidemiological, clinical, radiological and therapeutic aspects. Retrospective study of 100 observations]. / Les empyèmes intracrâniens : aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques, paracliniques et thérapeutiques. Étude rétrospective de 100 observations.

INTRODUCTION: Intracranial empyema is a frequent complication of ear-nose-throat (ENT) infections. Limited studies have been carried-out on cerebral empyema during recent years in Senegal. Despite new imaging techniques, diagnostic and therapeutic problems as well as outcome still remain in our regions. We report our experience compared to that of the literature. The study focused on epidemiological aspects, difficulties in diagnosis and treatment as well as prognosis of this condition. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted from January 2008 to December 2011 of 100 clinical cases. Diagnosis was made based on contrast CT-scan. Twenty-one percent of patients received medical treatment alone, while 79% underwent surgery. The duration of the treatment varied from 4 to 8 weeks. The follow-up was clinical and radiological with a mean follow-up time of 12 months. RESULTS: Cerebral empyema represented 44.4 % of all intracranial suppuration cases and the mean age was 21 years. The etiology was ENT in 35%, meningitis 10%, unknown 25%. Localization was sub-dural in 57%, extra-dural in 22%, inter-hemispheric in 10% of the cases. Empyema was associated with an abscess in 7 cases. One case was located in the posterior fossa. The evolution was favorable in 78% of the cases and in 12.5% some neurologic sequelae were observed. Eleven patients died and 3% of the patients had recurrences. CONCLUSION: The frequency of intracranial empyema is still high in Senegal. Difficulties in diagnosis, therapeutics and low economic incomes account for the gravity of intracranial empyema. In spite of these risks, early stage and effective treatment is necessary to reduce the morbi-mortality, especially in young aged children.