The Utility of Intraoperative Microbiological, Cytological, and Histopathological Sampling in the Setting of an Empyema Necessitating Lung Decortication Surgery

Introduction and Aims: Empyema thoracis is a pleural space pathology that indicates accumulation of purulent material in the pleural space. It is often associated with an underlying infectious process, such as pneumonia, but can also be a ramification of a more sinister etiology, such as lung carcinoma, often warranting lung decortication surgery for prompt resolution. Although radiological imaging is used to form a preliminary diagnosis, its true predictive value remains questionable, and intraoperative microbiological, cytological, and histopathological samples are thus instrumental in yielding helpful diagnostic information. This study aims to gauge whether intraoperative microbiological, cytological, and histopathological analyses yield any additional diagnostic information in establishing the etiology underlying empyema, necessitating decortication surgery. Methods: Microbiological, cytological, and histopathological records of 43 patients undergoing decortication surgery were included in this study. Only patients who were diagnosed with late stages of empyema and subsequently underwent decortication surgery were included in this study. Results: The sample consisted of 43 patients, including 23 males and 20 females. For microbiology, 4.88% of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples, 7.69% of tissue fluid samples, and 7.32% of pleural fluid samples were positive for an infectious microorganism. For cytology/histopathology, 0.00% of BAL samples, 5.41% of pleural fluid samples, and 7.32% of tissue samples were positive for an underlying infective etiology. Conclusion: For the study and analysis of the microbiological samples, a myriad of all three different modalities of diagnosis is essential. However, tissue sampling is the preferred modality of diagnosis for cytology/histopathology owing to its ability to detect positive cases that might otherwise evade prompt detection.