PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Anna Chernihovsky AU - Michael Gelbstein AU - Andrey Zverev AU - Alexey Gavrilov AU - Edward Altman TI - Mini-thoracotomy for surgical treatment of adult parapneumonic empyema stage 2b-3 versus standard thoracotomy AID - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA2526 DP - 2016 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - PA2526 VI - 48 IP - suppl 60 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA2526.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA2526.full SO - Eur Respir J2016 Sep 01; 48 AB - Introduction: Parapneumonic empyema (PPE) is a difficult problem in modern medicine despite availability of antibiotics. Treatment with antibiotics, closed chest tube drainage and intrapleural fibrinolitics are recommended as first line treatment. Video-assisted thoracic surgery is effective in the early stages of PPE. Standard thoracotomy is used in PPE late stage 2b-3. Less invasive approach such as mini-thoracotomy is still has not well received for the late stage of PPE in adult patients.Aim of the study: To evaluate the results of mini-thoracotomy for treatment of adult PPE in stages 2b-3 versus standard thoracotomy.Methods: 57 adult patients with PPE in stages 2b-3 operated between 10/ 2001 and 10/ 2013 were selected. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, radiological appearance, histological characteristics of PPE, complications, length of stay in hospital, and early and late postoperative outcome were collected and analyzed.Results: Of 57 patients 41 (71.9%) were male and 16 (28.1%) – female,26 patients were in mini-thoracotomy group and 31 patients in standard thoracotomy group.Physical restoration was quicker in mini-thoracotomy group and complete after one month. There was no difference in normalization of other clinical and laboratory parameters between the two groups.Conclusions: Treatment of advanced PPE stage 2b-3 with mini-thoracotomy and standard thoracotomy was beneficial for both groups. Employment of mini-thoracotomy had the same efficacy as standard thoracotomy, but was characterized by quicker restoration of physical status due to less invasive approach.