Chronic lung abscess is a long-term suppurative process, which is the outcome of an acute abscess.
Symptoms and course. Chronic lung abscess proceeds with exacerbations and improvements. During remission – complaints of cough with a small amount of sputum, sometimes hemoptysis, a slight increase in body temperature, sweating, chilliness, shortness of breath during exercise. During periods of exacerbations (cooling, viral infection), the temperature rises, the amount of sputum increases significantly. Above the abscess area, hard, sometimes bronchial breathing, moist rales.
Recognition. On the x-ray of the lungs – a cavity with a level of fluid in it, surrounded by an area of inflammation. During bronchoscopy, pus is released from the draining bronchus. In the blood – a decrease in the level of hemoglobin, leukocytosis (during an exacerbation), a shift in the formula to the left, an increase in ESR.
Treatment. Conservative treatment of lung abscess – antibiotics, therapeutic bronchoscopy can stop the exacerbation. The main method remains surgical: excision of the affected area of the lung.