One hundred forty patients with empyema thoracis were managed under the general anesthesia at the Seoul National University Hospital between 1980 and 1990. The patients, who were managed by thoracentesis or intercostal tube drainage alone, were excluded in this study. There were 92 males and 48 females, ranging from 8 to 80 years of age. Underlying pathologic lesions of empyema thoracis were primary bronchopulmonary infection [84%], postoperative empyema[11%], malignancy, paragonimiasis, spontaneous pneumothorax and so on. A single causal organism was isolated only in 17 patients[the most common being staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas, & streptacoccus pneumoniae], multiple organism in 31, and no growth in 32. Surgical treatment modalities were decortication[75], pleuropneumonectomy[30], decortication with lobectomy[10], empyemectomy[9], open drainage[13], Clagett procedure [6], thoracoplasty with or without muscle transposition[9]. Hospital mortality were in 2 cases[1.4%], one empyema related and the other nonrelated. In this study, bacteriologic findings were nonspecific and often polymicrobial. We conclude that early thoracotomy can be lifesaving in the presence of a benign clinical course.