Evaluation of open window thoracostomy for chronic tuberculous empyema with broncho-pleural fistula; a retrospective analysis of 33 cases

We report here our 13-year experience treating chronic tuberculous empyema by open window thoracostomy. The subjects were 33 patients (28 males and 5 females) with a median age of 70 (range: 56-83) years who underwent surgery between January 1990 and December 2002. Patients with a history of pulmonary resection or thoracoplasty were excluded. All patients complained of cough and purulent sputum related to the presence of bronchopleural fistula. Previous illnesses included pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 20) and tuberculous pleurisy (n = 14) treated by artificial pneumothorax (n = 1) or chemotherapy (n = 22). Median duration from the initial episode of tuberculosis to surgery was 44 (range: 1-60) years. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n = 9), Aspergillus fumigatus (n = 6), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) [n = 5], and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5) were representative microorganisms isolated from empyema. Preoperative mean %VC was 48 (range: 31-74)%. Mean follow-up was 34 (range: 1-131) months. Seven patients died of empyema-related disease within 6 months postoperatively. Nine patients underwent curative surgery to close the thoracostomy, including extrapleural pneumonectomy (n = 5), muscular transposition with thoracoplasty (n = 3), and lobectomy with muscular transposition and thoracoplasty (n = 1). In 17 patients, the thoracostomy was left open throughout the observation period because of severe impairment of pulmonary function. In elderly patients with severely impairment of pulmonary function, open window thoracostomy does not control empyema well and has a high rate of mortality.