[Surgical treatment of chronical pulmonary abscesses--contemporary treatment]

Between Jan 1991 and Dec 2000 a total of 67 patients were operated on for chronic primary pulmonary abscesses. They were 57 men and 10 women with mean age of 46.2 (range, 12 to 72) years. The indications for surgery was mainly "delayed closure" following medical therapy and percutaneous tube drainage (3), as well as a massive hemoptysis in 4 cases. CT scanning and brochoscopy were performed in all patients. The majority of them had multiple isolates (51/67) of both aerobic and anaerobic (predominantly Bacteroides sp., Fusobacterium sp., and Peptococci) organisms. The following operations were carried out: lobectomy (52) including 8 decortications, bilobectomy (5), pneumonectomy (4) including two pleuro pneumonectomy, polysegmentectomy (4) and segmental resection (2). The 30-day hospital mortality rate was 1.49% (1 patient died following rethoracotomy for bronchial stump fistula with empyema and polyorganic insufficiency). Major postoperative complications were 6 (8.9%) and included 3 pleural empyema (additional drainage), two rethoracotomy for intrapleural bleeding and one residual pleural cavity, treated by thoracoplasty. Minor postoperative complications (atelectasis, wound infection and prolonged air-leakage) were observed in 9 patients (13.4%). The long-term results (following-up ranged from 6 to 112 weeks) are considered very good. In conclusion, surgery is indicated for patients with significant hemoptysis, suspected malignancy and those with "late healing" abscesses with acceptable postoperative results, although the rate of major postoperative complications remains relatively high.