Comparison of outcomes between primary and secondary lung decortication

Lung decortication is commonly done for the patients with empyema thoracis and associated lung entrapment at our unit. Primary decortication is when decortication is a primary procedure; without a prior attempt of pleural space evacuation either by chest tube or previous decortication (1). Secondary decortication is decortication following a failed full lung re-expansion after initial pleural space drainage or after failed primary decortication (1). Empyema thoracis is pus in the pleural space. It has three stages: stage I (exudative), stage II (fibrinopurulent), stage III (organized). The choice of initial intervention for empyema thoracis depends on its stage. The appropriate patient selection reduces and prevents patient from undergoing secondary procedure such as secondary decortication. There is currently no study, which compared primary and secondary decortications and their outcomes; hence this is an interesting study. This study will help to improve patient selection for the particular procedure, which will translate to reduced morbidity and hospital costs