PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS:  ,Left hemothorax, rule out empyema.,POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: , Left hemothorax rule out empyema.,PROCEDURE: , Insertion of a 12-French pigtail catheter in the left pleural space.,PROCEDURE DETAIL:  ,After obtaining informed consent, the patient was taken to the minor OR in the Same Day Surgery where his posterior left chest was prepped and draped in a usual fashion.  Xylocaine 1% was injected and then a 12-French pigtail catheter was inserted in the medial scapular line about the eighth intercostal space.  It was difficult to draw fluid by syringe, but we connected the system to a plastic bag and by gravity started draining at least 400 mL while we were in the minor OR.  Samples were sent for culture and sensitivity, aerobic and anaerobic.,The patient and I decided to admit him for a period of observation at least overnight.,He tolerated the procedure well and the postprocedure chest x-ray showed no complications.surgery, chest, pleural space, pigtail catheter, insertion, empyema, hemothorax, 