OBJECTIVES This prospective study is an evaluation of the mini-open vacuum-assisted
closure with instillation (Mini-VAC-Instill) therapy for the treatment of complicated pleural …

OBJECTIVES The pool of potential candidates for pleural empyema is expanding. In a
previous technical report, we tested the feasibility of the minimally invasive insertion of a …

Background This retrospective study analyzed the effectiveness of intrathoracic negative
pressure therapy for debilitated patients with empyema and compared the short-term and …

Enthusiasm for minimally invasive thoracic surgery is increasing. Thoracoscopy plays a
significant therapeutic role in the fibrinopurulent stage (stage II) of empyema, in which …

Objective For patients with postoperative pleural empyema, open window thoracostomy
(OWT) is often necessary to prevent sepsis. Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) is a well-known …

Background Complex pleural empyema or lung abscesses are either characterised by long-
standing treatment (including treatment failure) or by a bad general condition of the patient …

BACKGROUND: Conventional treatment of complex, nonresolving empyemas after an
episode of pneumonia or a chest operation often requires an open-window thoracostomy …

Background Pleural empyema is a serious and potentially deadly disease leading to a
significant burden on health care systems. Conservative and surgical treatment results …

Empyema after lung resection is a challenging condition to manage and is associated with a
high mortality. Intrathoracic application of a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) device is …

Meanwhile vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy belongs to the standard procedures in
cardiovascular surgery. Its intra-thoracal application is mentioned in one unique case-report …