Empyema

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CLINICAL DESCRIPTION

Due to infective process

Causes: bacterial and mycobacterial organism

CLINICAL FEATURESSIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• Fever, pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath
• Signs of pleural effusion on physical examination +/-finger clubbing

INVESTIGATIONS

• Full blood count
• Blood culture
• HIV test
• Urea and creatinine
• Pleural tap: gram stain, ZN stain, GeneXpert, WBC and differential, culture and sensitivity
• CXR

TREATMENT

• Carry out surgical drainage (chest drain)
• Continue antibiotic therapy as for CAP for 21 to 28 days
• Rule out TB