Prophylactic use of antibiotics does not reduce the incidence of empyema (Heydari, Hessami,
Setayeshi, & Sajadifar, 2013)
Risk Factors
PUS
Empyema
Pathophysiology
Complications
Classically empyema has three stages defined as exudative stage,
fibrinopurulent stage, and organisational stage (BMJ publishing
group, 2016b).
First stage: Exudative Stage
Exudative stage - sterile pleural fluid builds up in pleural space
due to inflamation and increased permeability in the visceral
pleura (BMJ publishing group, 2016b)
Second Stage: Fibrinopurulent Stage
Organisational stage - dense fibrinous connections form
that restrict lung expansion (BMJ publishing group, 2016b)
Third Stage: Organisational Stage
Fibrinopurulent stage - bacteria invade the pleural space, fibrin is
deposited on pleural membranes and can adhere between the
visceral and parietal pleural membranes (BMJ publishing group,
2016b)
Epidemiology
Community acquired pneumonia has an incidence of 8-15/1000 per year of which up to 57% develop
parapneumonic effusions and up to 10% of those develop into empyema (BMJ publishing group,
2016a),
More common in men than women ratio of 2:1(BMJ publishing group, 2016a)
more common in elderly than children (BMJ publishing
group, 2016a)