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[Lung abscess: evolution of a complication over 45 years]
C Sartoretti1, F Moro, J Schilling
1Klinik für Viszeralchirurgie, Universitätsspital Zürich.
Helvetica Chirurgica Acta
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Lung abscesses have significantly decreased and can now be cured without fatalities. A compromised immune system is a new risk factor, replacing lung cancer as a cause.
Area of Science:
- Thoracic Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Pulmonology
Context:
- Retrospective analysis of 143 patients hospitalized for lung abscesses between 1946 and 1990.
- Observed trends in lung abscess etiology and outcomes over a 45-year period.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the changing epidemiology and clinical outcomes of lung abscesses.
- To identify shifts in causative factors and treatment success rates.
Summary:
- Lung abscesses have become rare, with a cure rate of 100% and no associated mortality.
- Lung cancers as a cause of abscesses have not been observed since 1960.
- Compromised immunological systems have emerged as a significant pathogenetical factor since the early 1980s.
Impact:
- Demonstrates the near eradication of lung abscesses as a common surgical condition.
- Highlights the evolving role of immunocompromise in lung abscess development.
- Provides insights into long-term trends in thoracic surgery and infectious disease management.