The Effect of CT-Guided Artificial Pneumothorax plus Thoracoscopy and Central Venous Catheterization on the Drainage Effect of Pediatric Empyema and Pulmonary Function

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of CT-guided artificial pneumothorax combined with a thoracoscopic and central venous catheter on empyema drainage effect and pulmonary function in children. A total of 82 pediatric patients with empyema admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The control group was treated with artificial pneumothorax combined with thoracoscopy. The study group was treated with a CT-guided and central venous catheter. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding, surgical field exposure, WBC, C-reactive protein, and pulmonary function were compared between the two groups. The size of effusion and sonographic staging were compared between the two groups. All children underwent spirometry and a maximal incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test. The operation indicators (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, etc.) and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. The differences in the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative drainage volume, and surgical field exposure between the two groups had a statistical significance ( $P<0.05$ ); the differences in the body temperature, total peripheral white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, size of effusion, and sonographic staging between the two groups had no statistical significance ( $P>0.05$ ); before operation, the differences in the expression levels of FVC (%), FEV1 (%), FEV1/FVC, and MVV (%) and indicators of cardiopulmonary function including VE/VO2, breathing reserve(%), VD/VT(%), and VO2/work between the two groups had no statistical significance, but at 6 months after operation, FVC (%), FEV1 (%), FEV1/FVC, and MVV (%) in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( $P<0.05$ ) and VE/VO2 and VD/VT(%) in the study group were obviously lower than those in the control group ( $P<0.05$ ); the incidence rate of chest pain, pulmonary edema, and skin infection in the study group was lower than that in the control group ( $P<0.05$ ). CT-guided artificial pneumothorax combined with thoracoscopic and central venous catheter drainage of empyema in children is more thorough, with less bleeding, less trauma, rapid recovery of pulmonary function, and is worthy of clinical promotion.