Background: Most cases of chronic empyema are caused by acute thoracic empyema or tuberculous pleuritis. Open thoracotomy and decortication are traditional treatments for chronic empyema. However, some cases, such as those with thick calcifications around a large cavity, may be difficult to decorticate in a single surgery. We successfully treated a case of chronic empyema with a large cavity surrounded by a thick calcified membrane that was peeled off gradually each day through fenestration of the thoracic cavity with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT).
Case presentation: The patient was a 47-year-old man who had undergone thoracic drainage for left post-pneumonia empyema at another hospital 10 years previously. He presented to our hospital with a fever of 39 °C, bloody sputum, and severe fatigue for 3 days. Computed tomography showed a 9-cm mass shadow in the left intralobar space and an adjacent 21 × 15 × 9-cm fluid-filled calcified unilocular cavity up to 5 mm in thickness. He underwent thoracic drainage for fluid, and empyema was suspected; the fluid was foul-smelling and purulent. The patient did not improve with antibiotics and intrathoracic lavage; therefore, thoracoscopic decortication was performed. The thoracic cavity had a thick calcified membrane filled with dark-red slurry resembling old blood. We attempted decortication; however, the calcified membrane was difficult to remove. Two drains were used for the pleural lavage. However, no improvement was observed with intrathoracic lavage and drainage; therefore, a fenestration was performed. The calcified membrane was peeled off each day for 3 months. Gradually, granulation increased and the inflammatory reaction improved. After NPWT, the empyema cavity gradually shrank to 8 cm × 6 cm × 2 cm. A latissimus dorsi flap closure was performed, and the patient was discharged.
Conclusions: This is an informative report on the daily decortication of a highly calcified purulent membrane using NPWT in a patient with chronic empyema. The description of this method will aid in the management of patients with chronic empyema and thick calcified membranes.
{"title":"Successful treatment with fenestration followed by daily decortication and negative-pressure wound therapy for acute exacerbation of chronic empyema: a case report.","authors":"Junichi Morimoto, Taiki Fujiwara, Ryo Karita, Jotaro Yusa, Mitsutoshi Shiba, Tomohiko Iida","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00151-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00151-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most cases of chronic empyema are caused by acute thoracic empyema or tuberculous pleuritis. Open thoracotomy and decortication are traditional treatments for chronic empyema. However, some cases, such as those with thick calcifications around a large cavity, may be difficult to decorticate in a single surgery. We successfully treated a case of chronic empyema with a large cavity surrounded by a thick calcified membrane that was peeled off gradually each day through fenestration of the thoracic cavity with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT).</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>The patient was a 47-year-old man who had undergone thoracic drainage for left post-pneumonia empyema at another hospital 10 years previously. He presented to our hospital with a fever of 39 °C, bloody sputum, and severe fatigue for 3 days. Computed tomography showed a 9-cm mass shadow in the left intralobar space and an adjacent 21 × 15 × 9-cm fluid-filled calcified unilocular cavity up to 5 mm in thickness. He underwent thoracic drainage for fluid, and empyema was suspected; the fluid was foul-smelling and purulent. The patient did not improve with antibiotics and intrathoracic lavage; therefore, thoracoscopic decortication was performed. The thoracic cavity had a thick calcified membrane filled with dark-red slurry resembling old blood. We attempted decortication; however, the calcified membrane was difficult to remove. Two drains were used for the pleural lavage. However, no improvement was observed with intrathoracic lavage and drainage; therefore, a fenestration was performed. The calcified membrane was peeled off each day for 3 months. Gradually, granulation increased and the inflammatory reaction improved. After NPWT, the empyema cavity gradually shrank to 8 cm × 6 cm × 2 cm. A latissimus dorsi flap closure was performed, and the patient was discharged.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This is an informative report on the daily decortication of a highly calcified purulent membrane using NPWT in a patient with chronic empyema. The description of this method will aid in the management of patients with chronic empyema and thick calcified membranes.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533538/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142634783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-29DOI: 10.1186/s44215-024-00150-w
Kenji Kameyama, Koji Takao, Atsushi Shiozaki, Hitoshi Fujiwara, Tsunehiro Ii
Background: Simultaneous surgery for synchronous double cancers of the esophagus and lung is so invasive that minimally invasive surgical procedures are preferred. For left lung cancer, there are few reports on simultaneous surgery due to the difficulty of performing radical esophagectomy only via the left thoracic approach and the high invasiveness of bilateral thoracotomy.
Case presentation: A 65-year-old man who was diagnosed with synchronous double cancer of the esophagus and left lung underwent transmediastinal esophagectomy (TME) and thoracoscopic lobectomy (TSL) simultaneously. This procedure is advantageous because radical esophagectomy can be completed regardless of the side affected by the lung cancer, and respiratory function can be preserved by shortening the duration of differential lung ventilation and avoiding thoracotomy.
Conclusion: This surgery could be a good treatment option for synchronous double cancers of the esophagus and lung in a highly proficient hospital.
{"title":"Simultaneous transmediastinal esophagectomy and thoracoscopic lobectomy for synchronous double cancers of the esophagus and lung: a case report.","authors":"Kenji Kameyama, Koji Takao, Atsushi Shiozaki, Hitoshi Fujiwara, Tsunehiro Ii","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00150-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00150-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Simultaneous surgery for synchronous double cancers of the esophagus and lung is so invasive that minimally invasive surgical procedures are preferred. For left lung cancer, there are few reports on simultaneous surgery due to the difficulty of performing radical esophagectomy only via the left thoracic approach and the high invasiveness of bilateral thoracotomy.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 65-year-old man who was diagnosed with synchronous double cancer of the esophagus and left lung underwent transmediastinal esophagectomy (TME) and thoracoscopic lobectomy (TSL) simultaneously. This procedure is advantageous because radical esophagectomy can be completed regardless of the side affected by the lung cancer, and respiratory function can be preserved by shortening the duration of differential lung ventilation and avoiding thoracotomy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This surgery could be a good treatment option for synchronous double cancers of the esophagus and lung in a highly proficient hospital.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533478/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142633864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-29DOI: 10.1186/s44215-024-00148-4
Yuta Teguri, Takashi Kido, Koji Miwa, Tomomitsu Kanaya, Shigemitsu Iwai, Hisaaki Aoki, Sanae Tsumura
Background: The surgical management of critical aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and left ventricular dysfunction is a significant clinical challenge. Whether left ventricular function will recover to support systemic circulation after the relief of aortic stenosis is a concern. In this setting, surgical or balloon aortic valvotomy combined with bilateral pulmonary artery banding and atrial septectomy may allow time for left ventricular adaptation, while the systemic circulation is supported by the right ventricle through the ductus arteriosus. We describe the case of a premature neonate with critical aortic stenosis, severe mitral regurgitation, and fetal hydrops who successfully underwent staged biventricular repair after bilateral pulmonary artery banding, atrial septectomy, balloon aortic valvuloplasty, and stent implantation for ductus arteriosus.
Case presentation: A 29-year-old female was referred to our hospital at 25 weeks of gestation with fetal echocardiography findings of critical aortic stenosis, severely impaired left ventricular function, severe mitral regurgitation, and restrictive foramen ovale. At 33 weeks of gestational age, the baby was born via cesarean delivery. Prostaglandin E1 infusion was immediately initiated, and the neonate underwent emergecy bilateral pulmonary artery banding and atrial septectomy. On the second day, a balloon aortic valvuloplasty was performed. The neonate underwent stent implantation to open the ductus arteriosus and multiple-balloon aortic valvuloplasty. At 4 months of age, he underwent biventricular repair consisting of surgical aortic valvuloplasty, atrial septal defect closure, bilateral pulmonary artery debanding, and ductus arteriosus ligation. At 1 year of age, he underwent the Ross -Konno procedure. Six years after the operation, the patient's general condition was stable, and the patient is doing well.
Conclusions: Staged biventricular repair was successfully achieved in a premature neonate with fetal hydrops and critical aortic stenosis associated with severe mitral valve regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction.
{"title":"Staged biventricular repair in a premature neonate with critical aortic stenosis, severe mitral regurgitation, and fetal hydrops: a case report.","authors":"Yuta Teguri, Takashi Kido, Koji Miwa, Tomomitsu Kanaya, Shigemitsu Iwai, Hisaaki Aoki, Sanae Tsumura","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00148-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00148-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The surgical management of critical aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and left ventricular dysfunction is a significant clinical challenge. Whether left ventricular function will recover to support systemic circulation after the relief of aortic stenosis is a concern. In this setting, surgical or balloon aortic valvotomy combined with bilateral pulmonary artery banding and atrial septectomy may allow time for left ventricular adaptation, while the systemic circulation is supported by the right ventricle through the ductus arteriosus. We describe the case of a premature neonate with critical aortic stenosis, severe mitral regurgitation, and fetal hydrops who successfully underwent staged biventricular repair after bilateral pulmonary artery banding, atrial septectomy, balloon aortic valvuloplasty, and stent implantation for ductus arteriosus.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 29-year-old female was referred to our hospital at 25 weeks of gestation with fetal echocardiography findings of critical aortic stenosis, severely impaired left ventricular function, severe mitral regurgitation, and restrictive foramen ovale. At 33 weeks of gestational age, the baby was born via cesarean delivery. Prostaglandin E1 infusion was immediately initiated, and the neonate underwent emergecy bilateral pulmonary artery banding and atrial septectomy. On the second day, a balloon aortic valvuloplasty was performed. The neonate underwent stent implantation to open the ductus arteriosus and multiple-balloon aortic valvuloplasty. At 4 months of age, he underwent biventricular repair consisting of surgical aortic valvuloplasty, atrial septal defect closure, bilateral pulmonary artery debanding, and ductus arteriosus ligation. At 1 year of age, he underwent the Ross -Konno procedure. Six years after the operation, the patient's general condition was stable, and the patient is doing well.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Staged biventricular repair was successfully achieved in a premature neonate with fetal hydrops and critical aortic stenosis associated with severe mitral valve regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533495/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142633865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung grows gradually, and spreads along the bronchial wall, often requiring tracheobronchoplastic procedure during surgery; however, incomplete resection occasionally occurs due to positive surgical margins. To avoid incomplete resection, effort should be exerted to confirm the extent of airway invasion of the tumor before surgery. Herein, we present the utility of combined treatment with bronchoscopic electrocautery wire snare for the endobronchial tumor prior to sleeve lobectomy with curative resection for patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung.
Case presentation: A 56-year-old woman experienced a persistent cough 6 months prior. On an annual medical checkup, an abnormal lung shadow was noted. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated right middle lobe atelectasis, and a round tumor shadow at the orifice of the right middle lobe bronchus, which protruded into the right intermediate bronchus, was observed. On bronchoscopy, a pedunculated endobronchial tumor in the intermediate bronchus was shown, and the middle lobe bronchus was completely obstructed. Initially, tumor resection via bronchoscopy was performed using an electrocautery wire snare under general anesthesia, and the tumor was pathologically diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma of cT1aN0M0 stage IA. After tumor resection, the extent of tumor progression in the airway was assessed; subsequently, the patient underwent elective right middle sleeve lobectomy and lymphadenectomy. She survived without recurrence 7 years after surgery.
Conclusion: We present a useful combined treatment strategy of bronchoscopic electrocautery wire snare prior to sleeve lobectomy for patients with endobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung.
背景:肺腺样囊性癌逐渐生长,并沿支气管壁扩散,手术时往往需要进行气管支气管成形术,但由于手术边缘阳性,偶尔会出现不完全切除的情况。为避免不完全切除,应在手术前努力确认肿瘤侵犯气道的范围。在此,我们介绍了在对肺腺样囊性癌患者进行袖状肺叶切除术并进行根治性切除之前,使用支气管镜电灼钢丝圈对支气管内肿瘤进行联合治疗的实用性:一名 56 岁的妇女在 6 个月前出现持续咳嗽。在年度体检时,发现肺部阴影异常。胸部计算机断层扫描(CT)显示右肺中叶有肺不张,右肺中叶支气管口处有一圆形肿瘤阴影,并向右侧中间支气管突出。支气管镜检查显示,中间支气管内有梗阻性支气管内肿瘤,中叶支气管完全阻塞。病理诊断为腺样囊性癌,cT1aN0M0 IA 期。肿瘤切除后,评估了肿瘤在气道中的进展程度;随后,患者接受了选择性右中袖状肺叶切除术和淋巴结切除术。术后 7 年,患者无复发:我们为支气管镜下肺内腺样囊性癌患者介绍了一种有效的联合治疗策略,即在袖状肺叶切除术前进行支气管镜下电灼金属丝套扎术。
{"title":"Endobronchial electrocautery wire snare prior to right middle sleeve lobectomy for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung: a case report.","authors":"Hidenori Kawasaki, Hironobu Hoshino, Shoko Nakasone, Hiroki Kawabata, Tomofumi Yohena, Eriko Atsumi","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00149-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00149-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung grows gradually, and spreads along the bronchial wall, often requiring tracheobronchoplastic procedure during surgery; however, incomplete resection occasionally occurs due to positive surgical margins. To avoid incomplete resection, effort should be exerted to confirm the extent of airway invasion of the tumor before surgery. Herein, we present the utility of combined treatment with bronchoscopic electrocautery wire snare for the endobronchial tumor prior to sleeve lobectomy with curative resection for patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 56-year-old woman experienced a persistent cough 6 months prior. On an annual medical checkup, an abnormal lung shadow was noted. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated right middle lobe atelectasis, and a round tumor shadow at the orifice of the right middle lobe bronchus, which protruded into the right intermediate bronchus, was observed. On bronchoscopy, a pedunculated endobronchial tumor in the intermediate bronchus was shown, and the middle lobe bronchus was completely obstructed. Initially, tumor resection via bronchoscopy was performed using an electrocautery wire snare under general anesthesia, and the tumor was pathologically diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma of cT1aN0M0 stage IA. After tumor resection, the extent of tumor progression in the airway was assessed; subsequently, the patient underwent elective right middle sleeve lobectomy and lymphadenectomy. She survived without recurrence 7 years after surgery.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We present a useful combined treatment strategy of bronchoscopic electrocautery wire snare prior to sleeve lobectomy for patients with endobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lung.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533519/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142635626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A 17-year-old female was transferred to our hospital due to high fever, general fatigue, and dim eyesight. Three weeks before, she had used cosmetic colored contact lenses and then suffered from bloodshot eyes associated with dim eyesight. Intermittent fever and general fatigue were followed by eye symptoms. Echocardiography revealed moving vegetation on the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve associated with mild mitral valve regurgitation. There were no infectious sites in systemic examinations; thus, the cause of infective endocarditis was considered the infection due to contact lens usage. The patient initially received mitral valve plasty associated with the removal of infective sites. However, redo surgery was necessary 19 days later due to the relapse of infection, and the mitral valve was replaced by bioprosthesis. Traumatic injury of vessels due to inappropriate contact lens usage seemed to lead to systemic hematogenous infection and subsequent endocarditis. We report a rare case of infective endocarditis which was caused by contact lens usage.
{"title":"Bacterial endocarditis caused by contact lens usage.","authors":"Susumu Ishikawa, Hiroki Matsunaga, Hideki Mishima, Yasushi Katayama, Koichi Yuri, Koichi Ohashi, Daisuke Abe","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00134-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00134-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 17-year-old female was transferred to our hospital due to high fever, general fatigue, and dim eyesight. Three weeks before, she had used cosmetic colored contact lenses and then suffered from bloodshot eyes associated with dim eyesight. Intermittent fever and general fatigue were followed by eye symptoms. Echocardiography revealed moving vegetation on the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve associated with mild mitral valve regurgitation. There were no infectious sites in systemic examinations; thus, the cause of infective endocarditis was considered the infection due to contact lens usage. The patient initially received mitral valve plasty associated with the removal of infective sites. However, redo surgery was necessary 19 days later due to the relapse of infection, and the mitral valve was replaced by bioprosthesis. Traumatic injury of vessels due to inappropriate contact lens usage seemed to lead to systemic hematogenous infection and subsequent endocarditis. We report a rare case of infective endocarditis which was caused by contact lens usage.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533627/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142635607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Pyogenic spondylitis or intervertebral discitis rarely spreads into the thoracic cavity, resulting in pyothorax. Moreover, no study has reported methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a cause. Conservative and surgical treatments are reportedly effective for the above-mentioned situations; however, there have been no comprehensive reports owing to the disease's rarity. This report described a case of acute pyothorax due to MRSA-caused pyogenic spondylitis in which surgical intervention with curettage of the intrapleural abscess and simultaneous thoracic vertebral debridement and anterior fixation were effective.
Case presentation: A 60-year-old female with Parkinson's disease was diagnosed with pyogenic spondylitis caused by MRSA and managed with antibiotics. Subsequently, a right encapsulated pleural effusion was observed, and thoracentesis was performed. No bacteria were identified in the pleural fluid culture; nonetheless, the leukocytes in the fluid increased, and the patient was diagnosed with right acute pyothorax caused by pyogenic spondylitis. Management of the spondylitis and pyothorax before the disease became severe was necessary. We performed curettage of the intrapleural abscess and vertebral debridement and anterior fixation using an autogenous rib through open thoracotomy. The inflammation or accompanying symptoms did not worsen 3 months after hospital discharge.
Conclusions: Acute pyothorax is rare but may develop from pyogenic spondylitis, for which MRSA is a rarer causative agent. Simultaneous vertebral debridement and anterior fixation, with curettage of the thoracic cavity abscess, may be useful in its management.
{"title":"Successful surgical intervention for acute pyothorax caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus thoracic pyogenic spondylitis: a case report.","authors":"Naoya Kitamura, Yoshifumi Shimada, Hayato Futakawa, Hiroto Makino, Yusuke Takegoshi, Hitoshi Kawasuji, Keitaro Tanabe, Toshihiro Ojima, Koichiro Shimoyama, Yoshihiro Yamamoto, Yoshiharu Kawaguchi, Tomoshi Tsuchiya","doi":"10.1186/s44215-024-00138-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s44215-024-00138-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pyogenic spondylitis or intervertebral discitis rarely spreads into the thoracic cavity, resulting in pyothorax. Moreover, no study has reported methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a cause. Conservative and surgical treatments are reportedly effective for the above-mentioned situations; however, there have been no comprehensive reports owing to the disease's rarity. This report described a case of acute pyothorax due to MRSA-caused pyogenic spondylitis in which surgical intervention with curettage of the intrapleural abscess and simultaneous thoracic vertebral debridement and anterior fixation were effective.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 60-year-old female with Parkinson's disease was diagnosed with pyogenic spondylitis caused by MRSA and managed with antibiotics. Subsequently, a right encapsulated pleural effusion was observed, and thoracentesis was performed. No bacteria were identified in the pleural fluid culture; nonetheless, the leukocytes in the fluid increased, and the patient was diagnosed with right acute pyothorax caused by pyogenic spondylitis. Management of the spondylitis and pyothorax before the disease became severe was necessary. We performed curettage of the intrapleural abscess and vertebral debridement and anterior fixation using an autogenous rib through open thoracotomy. The inflammation or accompanying symptoms did not worsen 3 months after hospital discharge.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Acute pyothorax is rare but may develop from pyogenic spondylitis, for which MRSA is a rarer causative agent. Simultaneous vertebral debridement and anterior fixation, with curettage of the thoracic cavity abscess, may be useful in its management.</p>","PeriodicalId":520286,"journal":{"name":"General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Cases","volume":"3 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11533522/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142634144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}