One hundred and nine Patients with thoracic empyema were treated at the Chosun university hospital from Jul. 1983 to Sep. 1989. Seventy-nine[72.5%] of the empyemas were adults and 30[27.5%] patients were under fifteen-year children. 29 patients[26.6%] were associated with pulmonary tuberculosis, 23[21.1%] occurred as pneumonia, and 13[11.9%] were unknown. The cardinal symptoms were dyspnea, chest pain, fever, coughing. When used as the initial mode of drainage, repeat thoracentesis was successful in only 46 of 93 cases[49. 5%]. Rib resection, however, provided cure or controlled in 7 cases[100%]. And decortication showed high cure rate in 19 of 24 cases[79.2%] Eventual control or cure of empyema was achieved in 90 patients[89.6%], whereas 7 patients[6.4%] died [3 from their empyema and 4 with empyema as an active problem at the time of death]. of all empyema-caused deaths occurred in patients who underwent chest tube drainage as the most invasive treatment modality. Chest tube drainage was often inadequate and more aggressive management was likely to result in fewer treatment failure and fewer total procedure. Early rib resection was recommended.