All patients with<unk>  require outpatient follow-up with a repeat chest X-ray and inflammatory biochemistry analysis within 4 weeks following discharge. Chest radiograph returns to normal in the majority of patients by 6 months. Patients should, of course, be advised to return sooner if symptoms redevelop. Long-term sequelae of<unk>  are rare but include bronchopleural fistula formation, recurrent<unk>  and pleural thickening, which may lead to functional lung impairment needing surgical decortication. Mortality in children is generally reported to be less than 3%. No reliable clinical, radiological or pleural fluid characteristics accurately determine patients’ prognosis at initial presentation.
Pleural empyema
Pulmonary embolism
Pleurisy
Pleural effusion
Lung abscess
Pneumonia
Malignant pleural effusion
Lobar pneumonia