‘Less may be best’—Pediatric parapneumonic effusion and empyema management: Lessons from a UK center

BackgroundChildren with empyema are managed at our center using a protocol-driven clinical care pathway. Chemical fibrinolysis is deployed as first-line management for significant pleural disease. We therefore examined clinical outcome(s) to benchmark standards of care while analyzing disease severity with introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.MethodsMedical case-records of children managed at a UK pediatric center were surveyed from Jan 2006 to Dec 2012. Binary logistic regression was utilized to study failure of fibrinolytic therapy. The effects of age, comorbidity, number of days of intravenous antibiotics prior to drainage and whether initial imaging showed evidence of necrotizing disease were also studied.ResultsA total of 239 children were treated [age range 4 months–19 years; median 4 years]. A decreasing number of patients presenting year-on-year since 2006 with complicated pleural infections was observed. The majority of children were successfully managed without surgery using antibiotics alone (27%) or a fine-bore chest-drain and urokinase (71%). Only 2% of cases required primary thoracotomy. 14.7% cases failed fibrinolysis and required a second intervention. The only factor predictive of failure and need for surgery was suspicion of necrotizing disease on initial imaging (P = 0.002, OR 8.69).ConclusionPediatric patients with pleural empyema have good outcomes when clinical care is led by a multidisciplinary team and protocol driven care pathway. Using a ‘less is best’ approach few children require surgery.