Lung abscess

Authors

  • Sílvia Correia Serviço de Pneumologia da ULS-Guarda, EPE
  • Rita Fernandes Serviço de Pneumologia da ULS-Guarda, EPE
  • José Manuel Silva Serviço de Pneumologia da ULS-Guarda, EPE
  • Rita Gomes Serviço de Pneumologia da ULS-Guarda, EPE

Keywords:

Lung abscess, Anaerobic bacteria, Aspiration pneumonia

Abstract

A lung abscess is defined as an infectious process caused by
pyogenic bacteria, localized and confined to the lung parenchyma,
with tissue necrosis, suppuration and cavitations.
The lung abscess is more frequent in patients predisposed to
aspiration frequently due to altered mental status (alcoholism,
epilepsy, stroke, among others).
In the pre-antibiotic era, the mortality of patients with lung
abscess was 33% whereas today with the appropriate medical
treatment we are able to save 90% of these patients.
However the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains, once
considered the gold standard, is becoming a concern in such
patients. We discuss the pathophysiology, microbiology, diagnostic
methods and treatment of lung abscess.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Tarentino: Abcesso de Pulmão. Doenças Pulmonares, 6ª edição, 2008. 32: 572-579.

Smith DT. Experimental aspiratory abscess. Arch Surg 1927; 14:231-239.

Nader Kamangar, MD, FACP, FCCP, FCCM: Lung abscess 2009.

Davis B, Systrom DM. Lung abscess: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. Curr Clin Topics Infect Dis 1998; 18:252-273.

Lorber B. Lung abscess. In: Mandell G, Bennett J, Dolin R, editors. Principles and practice of infectious diseases. 6th edition. Churchill Livingstone; 2005; 853-856.

Smith DT. Fuso-spirochetal disease of the lungs. Tubercle 1928; 9:420.

Chung, G, Goetz, MB. Anaerobic infections of the lung. Curr Infect Dis Resp 2000. 2: 238.

Marik PE. Aspiration pneumonitis and aspiration pneumonia. N Engl J Med2001; 344(9):665-671.

Bartlett JG. Anaerobic bacterial infections of the lung. Chest 1987; 91: 901-909.

Bartlett JG. Anaerobic bacterial infections of the lung and pleural space. Clin Infect Dis 1993; 16:S248-S255.

Bartlett JG, Finegold SM. Anaerobic infections of the lung and pleural space. Am Rev Respir Dis 1974; 110:56-77.

Wang J-L, Chen K-y, Fang C-T et al. Changing bacteriology of adult community-adquired lung abscess in taiwan : Klebsiella pneumoniae versus anaerobes. Clin Infect Dis 2005; 40:915-922.

Hamm H, Light RW. Parapneumonic effusion and empyema. Eur RespirJ 1997; 10:1150-1156.

Pfitzner J, Peacock MJ, Tsirgiotis E, Walkley H. Lobectomy for cavitating lung abscess with haemoptysis: Strategy for protecting the contralateral lung and also the non-involved lobe of the ipsilateral lung. Br J Anaesth 2000; 85(5):791-794.

Stark DD, Federle MP, Goodman PC et al. Differentiating lung abscess and empyema: radiography and computed tomography. Am J Roentgenol1983; 141:163-167.

Hirshberg B, Sklair-Levi M, Nir-Paz R:Factors predicting mortality of patients with lung abscess. Chest 1999; 115:746-750.

Stark DD, Federle MP, Goodman PC et al. Differentiating lung abscess and empyema: radiography and computed tomography. AJR Am J Roentgenol1983; 141(1):163-167.

Himanshu Desai, MDa, Aarti Agrawal, MDbMed. Pulmonary Emergencies: Pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Lung Abscess, and Empyema. Clin N Am 96 (2012) 1127-1148.

Gudiol F, Manresa F, Pallares R et al. Clindamycin vs penicillin for anaerobic lung infections. High rate of penicillin failures associated with penicillinresistant Bacteroides melaninogenicus. Arch Intern Med 1990; 150: 2525-2529.

Appelbaum, PC, Spangler, SK, Jacobs, MR. Beta-lactamase production and susceptibilities to amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, ticarcillin, ticarcillin-clavulanate, cefoxitin, imipenem, and metronidazole of 320 non-Bacteroides fragilis Bacteroides isolates and 129 fusobacteria from 28 U.S. centers. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1990; 34:1546.

Goldstein, EJ, Citron, DM, Warren, Y et al. In vitro activity of gemifloxacin (SB 265805) against anaerobes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1999; 43:2231.

Herth, F, Ernst, A, Becker, HD. Endoscopic drainage of lung abscesses: technique and outcome.

Chest 2005; 127:1378. Bartlett, JG. Lung abscess and necrotizing pneumonia. In: Infectious Diseases. Gorbach, SL, Bartlett, JG, Blacklow, NR (Eds) WB Saunders, Philadelphia 1992

Additional Files

Published

2013-12-31

How to Cite

1.
Correia S, Fernandes R, Silva JM, Gomes R. Lung abscess. RPMI [Internet]. 2013 Dec. 31 [cited 2024 May 18];20(4):181-6. Available from: https://revista.spmi.pt/index.php/rpmi/article/view/1116

Issue

Section

Review Articles