Would you consider deferring chest tube placement in a clinically stable patient with a small empyema without signs of systemic infection?
Answer from: at Community Practice
Yes in an outpatient to save hospitalization. However, requires prolonged PO antibiotics with close follow-up. Would get an ultrasound to confirm all fluid resorbed before stopping antibiotics
For most hospital patients, seems little to gain by avoiding tube drainage and may shorten antibioti...
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