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© 2025. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background: Empyema patients with poor physical condition and severe comorbidities face a significant challenge, with difficulties in choosing appropriate treatment methods, limited treatment outcomes, and a high rate of complications and mortality.

Objective: To comment on the indications and to evaluate the treatment outcomes of pleural empyema in patients with poor physical condition and severe comorbidities by thoracoscopic surgery.

Methods: An observational study on 12 patients treated at the Department of Thoracic Surgery – Military Hospital 103, from January 2017 to December 2022.

Results: The mean of age was 63.4 ± 12.4 years old, with a male/female ratio of 5/1. In this study, 83.3% of cases were presented with stage II empyema. The mean Karnofsky score was 50.0 ± 6.1. Some comorbidities contained chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (25.0%), spontaneous esophageal perforation (16.7%), liver cancer, cirrhosis, esophageal cancer, end-stage renal failure – chronic dialysis (8.7%). The surgery procedures were efficient with a short duration (65.6 ± 9.4 minutes), low incidence of blood transfusion (8.3%), and lower rate of postoperative complications (surgical wound infection 8.3%). The length of postoperative stay was 16.8 ± 9.9 days. Pleural drainage was removed in 11 out of 12 cases after an average of 60.1 ± 8.5 days, while one patient had their drainage retained due to esophageal cancer. The total recovery rate at the 1-year follow-up was 91.7%.

Conclusion: Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) exhibits positive outcomes in treating stage I and II pleural empyema patients who incurred severe comorbidities.

Details

Title
Outcome of Pleural Empyema Treated With Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery in Patients With Severe Co-Morbidities: An Observational Study
Author
HA, Vu  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nguyen, N V; Le, T D  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nguyen, ST  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Viet, Le A; The Vu A  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Van, Nguyen B; Thanh, Quan N  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; An, N V  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Duc, Nghiem T
Pages
87-96
Section
Original Research
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
e-ISSN
1179-2728
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3167187731
Copyright
© 2025. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.