Triple Cultures Increase the Diagnostic Sensitivity of Mycobacterial Tuberculosis Empyema.

Background: There is a continuous debate on the appropriate diagnostic approach and surgical management of mycobacterial empyema, with widely varied diagnostic practices and surgical outcomes. The aim of this study is to highlight the diagnostic approach and clinical features of patients who required surgical intervention for mycobacterial empyema.

Methods: We performed a 5-year retrospective cohort study of all patients with mycobacterial empyema requiring surgery in a single institution from November 2009 to November 2014.

Anterior chest wall resection and reconstruction for locally advanced breast cancer.

With breast cancer awareness, the incidence of large invasive tumours is rare. We present a video of locally advanced breast cancer invading the anterior chest wall requiring en bloc resection that resulted in a large chest wall defect with exposed pleural and pericardial surface. Skeletal reconstruction and provision of adequate soft tissue coverage in order to avoid respiratory failure was challenging.

Pleural fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumor.

The fat-forming variant of solitary fibrous tumor is rare. It occurs predominantly in the deep soft tissues of the retroperitoneum and thigh. We describe a case of fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor arising from the pleura, which was successfully treated using a video-assisted thoracoscopic approach.