During a period of almost five years, fourty-six cases of lung abscess were treated on the Surgical Service of the Kwangju Christian Hospital. Thirty-four abscesses were right sided, and twelve were on the left side. Thirty four abscesses occurred in males and twelve in females. Eighty-two percent of the patients were under thirty years of age, and over fifty percent were between the ages of 20 and thirty.
Forty-four patients were treated by resection of the abscess, and two were treated by open drainage only. There were three deaths, all in patients having resections, far a mortality rate of 6.5% overall. In general those patients dying were those who had a long duration of disease. In addition there were numerous complications, but all patients not dying eventually made a good recovery, so that good results were obtained in 93.5% of cases.
It is concluded that surgery has much to offer patients who do not show quick improvement on medical therapy for abscess of the lung. Resection is the treatment of choice, though lesser procedures may be needed for patients in poor condition. Generally, surgery should be undertaken within the first three months of onset of disease, as mortality and complications are fewer within this time span.
|