1977 Volume 52 Issue 12 Pages 627-633
There are now numerous different types of surgical therapeutic techniques for chronic empyema. A new surgical method of extraperiosteal “Air-Plombage” for chronic empyema has been applied to 20 patients (19 primary and 1 postoperative) in our hospital during the past 3. and a half years.
There were 16 males and 4 females ranging from 24 to 72 years of age. These cases were consisted of 10 total empyema (4 with fistula and 6 without), 8 partial empyema (5 with fistula and 3 without) and 2 empyema necessitatis without fistula.
All the cases were cured by this method without any major complications, and the pulmonary function improved postoperatively in 16 of these patients.
In conclusion the “Air-Plombage” has the following characteristics; (1) a one-stage operation, even to the patient with empyema necessitatis, (2) cosmeticaly better procedure and no thoracic deformity, (3) few complications, (4) fewer blood transfusion, (5) less decrease of pulmonary function and (6) easy operative technique.
