Radical surgery for intractable thoracic empyema complicating traumatic pneumothorax and rib fractures

BACKGROUND: Few cases of traumatic pneumothorax complicated by thoracic empyema have been reported. The indication of antibiotic prophylaxis administration for traumatic pneumothorax during tube thoracostomy remains controversial, and thoracic injury complicated by empyema can be life-threatening and intractable. CASE PRESENTATION: A 42-year-old male patient was injured during a collision with a passenger car while driving a motorcycle. The patient (body mass index, 37 kg/m(2)) was diagnosed with right first-to-sixth-rib fractures without a flail segment, right clavicle fracture, and slight hemopneumothorax. Tube thoracostomy was performed for traumatic pneumothorax on day 3 without antibiotic prophylaxis. The patient demonstrated a progressive displaced rib fracture complicated by empyema on day 11. Radical surgery was performed for the empyema with rib fixation on day 15. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged from the hospital on day 31. CONCLUSIONS: A traumatic pneumothorax can be complicated by empyema. Thoracic injuries complicated by empyema can be life-threatening and intractable. Antibiotic prophylaxis for traumatic pneumothorax with tube thoracotomy should therefore be considered in select cases. The strategy for thoracic injury requires the assumption of an occult thoracic infection and chest wall instability.