Empyema

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Empyema is the medical term for pockets of pus that have collected inside a body cavity. They can form if a bacterial infection is left untreated, or if it fails to fully respond to treatment.^[1] Improper treatment of pneumonia is one way empyema may be caused, and in this case it might show while the pneumonia is getting better and going away. The condition is serious if left untreated.

The term empyema is most commonly used to name the pus-filled pockets that develop in the pleural space (the slim space between the outside of the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity).^[1]

Empyema is a serious condition that needs treatment. It can cause fever, chest pains, breathlessness and coughing up mucus.

Although it can occasionally be life threatening, it is not a common condition, as most bacterial infections are effectively treated with antibiotics before they get to this stage.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Empyema". nhs.uk. 2017-10-18. Retrieved 2024-06-08.