Empyema Necessitans Involving the Ribs and Vertebra-A Rare occurrence

Abstract

The extension of pleural infection into the chest wall and neighbouring structures is called Empyema Necessitans (EN). We are reporting a rare case of 45-year-old female presenting with chest pain and history of tubercular pleural effusion evaluated with haematological, biochemical and radiological investigations and diagnosed to have right sided EN with extensive involvement of chest wall. She was managed surgically with thoracotomy and decortication of lung. Patient succumbed to complications of septicaemia, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome.

Keywords

• decortication
• thoracotomy
• tuberculosis