Post-Traumatic Pyothorax: Epidemiology, Management and Prognosis in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital

Pyothoraxes, also called thoracic empyemas, are defined by the presence between the two layers of the pleura, of a frankly purulent liquid, or of a shady or clear liquid but containing a majority of altered polynuclear cells with germs direct examination. They are said to be traumatic when they follow a thoracic trauma whatever the mechanism; usually a pre-existing post-traumatic pleural effusion. The general objective of this study was to help identify the epidemiological and prognostic factors in the management of post-traumatic pyothorax in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital. Methodology: This was a descriptive retrospective study covering a period of 2.5 years from 01/06/2016 to 31/12/2018 carried out in the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Donka National Hospital. Results: During the study period, 17 cases of post-traumatic pyothorax were observed among the 288 files of admitted and hospitalized patients. In the course of this study, a rate was 5.90%. The most affected age group was 1 to 5 years old. The male sex was in the majority (76.5%). The most common occurrence was the fall, i.e. 41.2%. 47% of patients consult after 60 days. Chest pain and dyspnea were the main symptoms during our study (82.3%). Antibiotics and analgesics dominated the medical treatment used in 100% of the cases and pleural drainage was the first line surgical treatment practiced in 88.2% of the cases. The prognosis is favorable without sequelae in 52.9% of cases with an average hospital stay of 9 days. Post-traumatic pyothorax is a serious pathology involving the vital and functional respiratory prognosis, hence the need to diagnose and treat it early.