Surgical Treatment of Primary Lung Cancer Complicated by Pleural Empyema : A Case Report

Abstract

Few cases of surgical treatment of malignant pulmonary disease complicated by pleural empyema have been reported. A 66-year-old man underwent resection for acute pleural empyema following preoperative fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination for primary lung cancer. Two days after fiberoptic bronchoscopic lung biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage, the patient had a high fever and left-side chest pain due to pleural empyema. After chest drainage and adminstration of antibiotics, left pneumonectomy and resection of the empyemal cavity were performed. The patient received intrathoracic irrigation and reinforcement of the bronchial stump using pedicled intercostal muscle. The postoperative course was uneventful. It should be remembered that lung cancer might be complicated by pleural empyema resulting from fiberoptic bronchoscopic examinations.