Lung Abscess

Lung abscess is the purulent material containing necrotic area of lung parenchyma.

Causes-

1. Aspiration abscess.

2. Pulmonary tuberculosis.



3. Necrotizing pneumonia.

4. Bronchial obstruction.

5. Tumor in bronchial area.

6. Haematogenous spread of infection to lung from primary focus of infection in body in some other organ of body.

7. Secondary infection or rupture of amoebic liver abscess into lung.

Symptoms-

1. High grade fever, pleuritic chest pain, dry cough. But after few days on rupture of abscess into a bronchus, there is cough with large quantities of expectoration which is purulent and sometimes blood stained.

2. Weight loss, anorexia, anaemia.

3. Consolidation appears in later stage of disease. Bronchial breathing, crepitations and signs of cavitation are also there in later stages of disease.

4. Leucocytosis.

Investigations-

1. Hb test.

2. TLC, WBC test.

3. ESR test.

4. Sputum test.

5. Sputum culture and sensitivity test.

6. Chest X-ray.

7. Bronchoscopy.

8. CT scan of thorax.

Treatment-

1. Postural drainage of excess secretions of sputum.

2. Chest physiotherapy.

3. Antibiotics.

4. Resectional surgery.

Do you know about- Tuberculous Pleural Effusion

Cheyne Stokes Breathing