Perioperative Nursing Care in two cases of Empyema Thoracis

Introduction: Empyema thoracis is a dreaded complication of a bacterial infection of the upper or lower respiratory system. It has been associated with a mortality rate between 6-24%. The incidence of empyema in the community is increasing with no known etiology for that. A proportion of out of community-or hospital-acquired pneumonia results from iatrogenic causes, especially antibiotic use. Methods: Two cases of anaerobic empyema thoracis with excellent clinical course are presented. Results: Correct and timely diagnosis is the main determinant of a successful outcome. Patients were operated after the complication was diagnosed and had an uneventful clinical course. Presumed that any delay in operation could result in major postoperative disastrous complications. Conclusions: Medical staff must be aware of this complication that may result from respiratory bacterial infections. Diagnosis, perioperative care and long term follow up rely on optimization of the nursing process and its timely and accurate management. It is obvious that prefect co-ordination of all medical and nursing staff resulted in successful outcome.