Treatment of Lung Abscess in Israel

The best medical specialists in Israel attend to patients, and excellent conditions for their stay have been created. At Top Ihilov, the most modern techniques are applied, and treatment and examinations are conducted according to international standards.

Lung abscess is a localized purulent process in the lung. The infiltrate can be single or multiple. The disease is severe and is accompanied by general intoxication. Patients require inpatient treatment.

There are many causes for the disease: pneumonia, infections, aspiration of the lung, a tumour in the lung, or a foreign body, etc. Occasionally, cases of lung abscess development caused by echinococcus, actinomycosis, and amoebiasis are encountered (these cases are rare). Various pathogenic microflora, most often streptococci and staphylococci, are isolated from the contents of the infiltrate.

Treatment of Lung Abscess at Top Ihilov

• strengthening the body, increasing resistance to diseases and stress;
• improving drainage, outflow of purulent contents;
• fighting infection and intoxication;
• increasing immunity;
• symptomatic treatment;
• normalizing the function of the heart and other internal organs involved in the inflammatory process.

Medication treatment is conducted after studying the sensitivity of the microflora. Most often, these are: cephalosporins, sulfonamides, metronidazole, aminoglycosides, broad-spectrum antibiotics. In addition, measures are taken to combat intoxication: intravenous infusions, in severe cases – plasmapheresis, cardiovascular drugs, etc. As immunocorrective therapy, the following are used: transfusion, gamma globulin, serums, and medications (prodigiosan, levamisole, thymosin, and others).

Surgical treatment of lung abscess is resorted to when conservative treatment is ineffective, there is pulmonary bleeding, large infiltrates, when the infiltrate has ruptured and the contents have spilled into the pleural cavity, with a high likelihood of lung cancer, etc. Before surgery, the patient undergoes a series of diagnostic procedures, including CT and MRI.

Operations to remove the lung are quite rare; they are performed when it is practically impossible to preserve the organ. At Top Ihilov Clinic, pneumotomies and pneumonectomies are performed by the best specialists, experienced surgeons.

• Single-stage pneumotomy is performed when there is adhesion of the visceral and parietal pleura over the abscess.
• Two-stage pneumotomy is performed if there is no rotation.
• Drainage of the lung abscess by puncture or through a trocar.
• Removal of the entire lung, pneumonectomy.

In addition to medication or surgical treatment, patients with lung abscess require caloric nutrition, sufficient oxygen, and rest.

Diagnosis of Abscess

• extended laboratory blood tests;
• sputum examination;
• laboratory analysis of fluid from the pleural cavity;
• X-ray examination of the chest and organs (in two projections);
• bronchoscopy with simultaneous collection of pus for examination and determination of sensitivity to antibiotics.

The task of diagnosticians is to differentiate the disease from malignant tumours, tuberculosis, fungal diseases, lung infections, etc. Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, the patient is referred to the hospital for treatment.