Abstract
Pleural effusions are commonly associated with pneumonia; however, progression to empyema can occur. The fluid must be sampled if there is concern for empyema. A tube thoracostomy should be placed to drain the fluid; if the collection persists despite drainage, fibrinolytics can be instilled through the tube, or, in certain circumstances, the patient may proceed directly to surgical intervention.
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Kotch, S.R., Taylor, M.D. (2019). Management of Empyema. In: Docimo Jr., S., Pauli, E. (eds) Clinical Algorithms in General Surgery . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98497-1_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98497-1_15
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