A breakthrough in the treatment of empyema: what we have learnt
50 years on from Tillett and Sherry’s original case report
by N C Barnes, S M Benjamin, originally accepted
for publication April 2nd, 2004
(Department of Respiratory Medicine,
London Chest Hospital, London, UK)
Abstract
The scientists William S. Tillett and Sol Sherry
were responsible for the introduction of intrapleural fibrinolytics
as therapeutic agents, thus supplementing antimicrobial therapy
in the treatment of empyema. They were the first to suggest the
possibility that the use of these drugs in empyema might obviate
the need for radical surgical procedures. This article highlights
their original work and contributions in this field.
Tillett and Sherry’s original paper (Tillett WS, Sherry
S. The effect in patients of streptococcal fibrinolysis (streptokinase)
and streptococcal desoxyribonuclease on fibrinous, purulent and
sanguinous pleural exudations) was published in the Journal of
Clinical Investigation in 1949 (J Clin Invest 1949; 28: 173-90).
The full article is reproduced online here, and we are grateful
to the original publishers (www.jci.org) for permission to do
this. The paper has been reproduced exactly as it originally appeared
in print; the only alteration that has been made is to the layout.
Benjamin and Barnes article
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Tillett and Sherry's article original report
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