Successful simple chest closure without thoracoplasty after open-window thoracotomy for empyema: a report of two cases

Abstract

Background

Thoracic wall reconstruction after open-window thoracotomy is invasive and challenging to perform in patients with comorbidities. We present two cases of empyema in which chest closure was achieved with minimally invasive simple wound closure after open-window thoracotomy.

Case presentation

In these cases, two men who were 81 and 48 years old, respectively, were readmitted after video-assisted thoracoscopic right lower lung lobectomy to treat lung cancer because of a bronchial stump fistula. Simple wound closure was performed in both patients, and both were discharged without any complications. The first patient died 15 months later from left lung pneumonia. The second patient has had no recurrence of empyema and is currently undergoing chemotherapy as an outpatient for recurrent lung cancer at 24 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

Simple chest closure without concomitant thoracoplasty is an effective, minimally invasive procedure for treating fistula-free empyema.