title: Lung abscess-etiology, diagnostic and treatment options.
abstract: Lung abscess is a type of liquefactive necrosis of the lung tissue and formation of cavities (more than 2 cm) containing necrotic debris or fluid caused by microbial infection. It can be caused by aspiration, which may occur during altered consciousness and it usually causes a pus-filled cavity. Moreover, alcoholism is the most common condition predisposing to lung abscesses. Lung abscess is considered primary (60%) when it results from existing lung parenchymal process and is termed secondary when it complicates another process, e.g., vascular emboli or follows rupture of extrapulmonary abscess into lung. There are several imaging techniques which can identify the material inside the thorax such as computerized tomography (CT) scan of the thorax and ultrasound of the thorax. Broad spectrum antibiotic to cover mixed flora is the mainstay of treatment. Pulmonary physiotherapy and postural drainage are also important. Surgical procedures are required in selective patients for drainage or pulmonary resection. In the current review we will present all current information from diagnosis to treatment.
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kuhajda
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsirgogianni
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Drosos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsavlis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kioumis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Christoforos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosmidis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Kosmas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsakiridis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mpakas
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zarogoulidis
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zissimopoulos
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baloukas
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 2 Pulmonary Department-Oncology Unit, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 3 General Surgery Department, Interbalkan European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 4 Thoracic Surgery Department, "Saint Luke" Private Hospital, Panorama, Thessaloniki, Greece ; 5 Nuclear Medicine Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece ; 6 Oncology Department, Ptolemaida General Hospital, Ptolemaida, Greece ; 7 Center for respiratory rehabilitation, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuhajda
keywords: Lung abscess; antibiotics; thoracoscopy; video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)