BACKGROUND: Recurrent @entity4327 in the presence of residual lung tissue can be treated with an @entity1538 ( @entity1538 ). Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) of these large @entity1514 is a novel option. METHODS: Nineteen @entity1 with residual lung tissue received an @entity1538 for treatment of recurrent @entity4327 . In this retrospective case series, 8 @entity1 (aged 58 +/- 20 years, all male) were treated conventionally, and 11 @entity1 (aged 53 +/- 17 years, 8 male) were treated with VAC. RESULTS: The application of the VAC system resulted in rapid debridement of the thoracic cavity and reexpansion of the residual lung tissue. The duration of @entity1538 and VAC therapy was 39 +/- 17 and 31 +/- 19 days, respectively. All 11 @entity1 were amenable for subsequent closure using pedicled muscular flaps. In 2 @entity1 , VAC therapy alone resulted in complete closure of the @entity1538 . The average duration of follow-up was 46 +/- 19 months. All @entity1 , except 1, have recovered well. One @entity1 died of nonpulmonary causes. In the non-VAC group (n = 8), the @entity1538 was managed conventionally by application of saline-soaked gauzes. In 2 @entity1 , the @entity1538 was eventually closed using pedicled muscular flaps (after 75 and 440 days, respectively). Four @entity1 died of @entity532 (1 @entity548 , 3 recurrent infections) during follow-up; 1 @entity1 died of a cause unrelated to @entity1538 . The average duration of @entity1538 was 933 +/- 1,422 days. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with conventional management of @entity1538 , VAC therapy accelerates wound healing and improves reexpansion of residual lung tissue in @entity1 with @entity1538 after @entity3509 , allowing rapid surgical closure.

Open window thoracostomy treatment of XXXX is accelerated by vacuum-assisted closure.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity1538 :: ('MESH:D005902', 'Disease') :: ['OWT', 'open window thoracostomy'] @entity548 :: ('MESH:D006470', 'Disease') :: ['bleeding'] @entity3509 :: ('MESH:D004653', 'Disease') :: ['empyema'] @entity532 :: ('MESH:D003925', 'Disease') :: ['OWT-related complications'] @entity1514 :: ('MESH:D013896', 'Disease') :: ['thoracic defects'] @entity4327 :: ('MESH:D016724', 'Disease') :: ['thoracic empyema']
@entity3509 :: (MESH:D004653,Disease) :: ['empyema']
