title: Percutaneous drainage of lung abscess.
abstract: The availability of effective antimicrobial agents has greatly decreased the need for surgical intervention in patients who have a pyogenic lung abscess. We describe 3 patients with lung abscesses caused by gram-negative bacteria who failed to respond to medical treatment and who were believed to be unable to withstand lobectomy. Percutaneous insertion of a drainage tube directly into the abscess brought about a dramatic clinical response, with prompt closure of the cavity. This procedure provides an alternative to thoracotomy and lobectomy in treating lung abscesses that fail to respond to medical therapy.
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011551:Pseudomonas fluorescens; D012306:Risk