RT Book, Section
A1 Doherty, Gerard M.
SR Print(0)
ID 58109737
T1 Empyema
T2 Quick Answers Surgery
YR 2010
FD 2010
PB The McGraw-Hill Companies
PP New York, NY
SN 
LK accesssurgery.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=58109737
RD 2024/10/03
AB •  Pyothorax:  Pus  within  pleural  cavity,  usually  thick,  creamy,  malodorous•  Etiology  includes:  -In  setting  of  pneumonia,  lung  abscess,  bronchiectasis,  it  is  referred  to  as  parapneumonic  (60%)-Postsurgical  (20%)-Post-traumatic  (10%)-Less  common  causes  include  esophageal  rupture  and  other  chest  wall  or  mediastinal  infections•  3  temporal  phases:1.  Acute  exudative-Sterile  low  viscosity  pleural  fluid-Low  WBC  count  and  lactic  dehydrogenase  (LDH)-Normal  glucose-Normal  pH2.  Transitional  (fibrinopurulent)-Increase  in  turbidity,  WBC,  and  LDH-Low  glucose  and  pH-Fibrin  deposited  thereby  fixing  the  lung3.  Chronic  organizing-Occurs  7-28  days  after  disease  onset-Exudates  thickens,  causing  further  fixation  of  lung-pH  <  7.0-Glucose  <  40  mg/dL