The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 31, 240-243, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Bronchogenic carcinoma and postoperative empyema: is survival really enhanced?
A Peterson, M Kirsh and H Sloan
From 1959 to 1974, 542 patients underwent curative resection for
bronchogenic carcinoma. Postoperative empyema occurred in 17 of these
patients. The overall 5-year survival of these 17 patients was only 18%,
compared with 27% in the 525 patients without empyema. We were unable to
demonstrate by our study or by a review of the literature that
postoperative empyema favorably influences survival in patients who have
had pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma.