A 57-Year-Old Man With a Large Left Pleural Effusion

Pulmonary actinomycosis presenting with empyema

“…In cases of empyema, treatment with up to 12 months of antibiotics in addition to drainage is the mainstay of therapy. One case report promotes early surgical intervention with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or Clagett thoracotomy to reduce length of treatment required with antibiotic therapy 6. In this case, it was felt that surgical intervention was not required due to significant improvement in CRP associated with complete resolution of effusion confirmed with thoracic ultrasound and patient preference to avoid surgery if possible.…”