Abstract

CASTELLO GONZALEZ, Mauro; HERNANDEZ MOORE, Elizabeth; DELGADO MARIN, Neyda  and  BUENO RODRIGUEZ, José Carlos. Diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives in children with complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion. AMC [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.3, pp.393-404. ISSN 1025-0255.

Background: pleural effusion is one of the complications of pneumonia in children. Although antimicrobial treatment and general measures are sufficient in some patients, others require methods for the drainage of the pleural content that have advantages and disadvantages.  Objective: to discuss the different diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives for complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion in pediatric patients, making emphasis in current tendencies and opinions in this field, particularly from the perspective of pediatric surgeons. Methods: a bibliographic research was carried out in Scopus database through Hinari, and also in Medline/Medline Plus through PubMed, using empyema, thoracoscopy, fibrinolytics and children as descriptors. Conclusions: high survival rates and less frequency of severe complications in children with parapneumonic pleural effusion have resulted from the implementation of effective and early procedures. The use of fibrinolytic agents or videothorascopy, seem to favor not significantly any of the two procedures. The use of fibrinolytic agents or VATS has not shown remarkable differences in terms of final results, but both methods have proved to be effective.

Keywords : PLEURAL EFFUSION; PNEUMONIA [complications]; CHILD; FIBRINOLYTIC AGENTS; REVIEW LITERATURE AS TOPIC.