Complex space-filling procedures for intrathoracic infections - personal experience with 76 consecutive cases.

Objective: The objective of our article is to analyse the results of complex space-filling procedures for chronic intrathoracic suppurations.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 76 consecutive patients operated in our unit between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2008, who presented pleural and/or pulmonary suppurations not amenable to decortication or resection; 36 patients (47%) had tuberculosis (TB) lesions (28 with positive cultures at the moment of surgery, seven with multi-drug-resistant (MDR) infections), 13 patients (17%) had postoperative empyema, 18 patients (24%) presented with frank intrapleural rupture of a pulmonary cavity and 26 patients (34%) presented with bronchial fistula. In these patients, we performed a combination of thoracoplasty (5.