Surgical intervention for patients with fibrinopurulent pleural empyema and acute respiratory failure: a case report

Background: Fibrinopurulent thorax is a rare condition that can lead to respiratory failure. Fibroblastic decortication surgery has been shown to be an effective treatment for chronic empyema in previous studies. However, there is limited evidence supporting surgical intervention for fibrinopurulent thorax in cases of respiratory failure.

Case description: We report a case of a male patient with a fibrinopurulent thorax and acute respiratory failure. The patient required invasive mechanical ventilation but showed no improvement, necessitating surgical intervention for empyema drainage. DNA gene sequencing technology was employed to diagnose the infection etiology, which facilitated the adjustment of antibiotics. This approach ultimately led to the patient's improvement and liberation from the ventilator.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates the efficacy of surgical treatment for fibrinopurulent thorax with respiratory failure, a scenario not previously documented in literature. Successful treatments for pneumonia and chronic empyema in the context of respiratory failure have provided both inspiration and validation for this approach. The findings of this case highlight the potential of surgical intervention as a new treatment option for clinical practice. However, as this is a single case report, further research is necessary to validate the efficacy and safety of this treatment method.