Pericarditis is defined as inflammation of the pericardium, which is usually self-limited and benign. However, empyema in children is a serious condition and has a high mortality rate. Therefore, the goal is to detect this disease early and take active measures to control the infection, avoiding its spread and endangering the child's life.

Before antibiotics were widely used, pericarditis was a common complication of pneumococcal pneumonia. Currently, most cases of purulent pericarditis are caused by a medical care-related blood infection such as during dialysis, thoracic surgery, or an immunosuppressive condition such as HIV infection, chemotherapy. Regardless of the cause, early antibiotic treatment with percutaneous empyema or pericardectomy is necessary to rapidly control the foci of infection.

Bệnh viêm mủ màng ngoài tim là tình trạng viêm do vi khuẩn sinh mủ trong khoang màng ngoài tim. Biến chuyển của bệnh bắt đầu từ viêm màng ngoài tim nhiễm trùng trở thành viêm mủ màng ngoài tim, nếu không kịp thời điều trị sẽ thành viêm màng ngoài tim co thắt.