Transbronchial Catheter Drainage via Fiberoptic Bronchoscope in Intractable Lung Abscess

1. Among 11 patients, the therapeutic response was dramatic in 6 patients. 2. In the successful group, the abscess sizes were greater than 8cm in diameter and the air-fluid levels were higher than two-thirds of the cavity. 3. Additional diagnoses, other than bacterial lung abscess, could be made in 2 cases when otherwise the diagnosis would have remained in doubt. The authors suggest that catheter drainage via fiberoptic bronchoscpope is an effective treatment modality in the large lung abscess with a high air-fluid level which is intractable to other medical approaches, and it is also a safe procedure.