Introduction A lung abscess is a circumscribed melting of lung tissue. In the process, abscess cavities are formed, which almost always have purulent contents. There are different causes for this, mostly in connection with infections. Causes The causes are usually severe pneumonia, pulmonary infarction, aspiration of purulent secretions (e.g. from a purulent tonsillitis), emphysema, bronchiectasis, … Pulmonary abscess
Diagnosis The diagnosis of a lung abscess can often be made on the basis of the clinical picture. X-rays of the lungs are then used to prove the diagnosis. A computer tomography then shows the exact course of the abscess cavity. The blood count shows an increase in inflammation values, such as CRP, leukocytes and … Diagnosis | Pulmonary abscess
Complications Complicated courses of a pulmonary abscess consist in a permanent fistula formation (especially in chronic abscesses) and in a breakthrough into the lung tissue. Severe cases can develop septically, i.e. with life-threatening accompanying symptoms that can lead to death. Another serious complication is the gangrene of the lung tissue, i.e. the death of entire … Complications | Pulmonary abscess
How can a lung abscess be distinguished from a lung tumor? If the radiological image of the lung shows a roundish structure in the area of the lung tissue, a tumor must always be diagnostically excluded, even if in most cases it is inflammation, abscesses or other lung diseases. Important indications of an abscess are … How can a lung abscess be distinguished from a lung tumor? | Pulmonary abscess
How contagious is a pleural empyema? In principle, a pleural empyema and its underlying disease is a contagious clinical picture.In most cases, however, the pleural empyema is encapsulated in the thorax and thus represents a negligible risk of infection. Depending on the pathogen, however, an underlying pneumonia can be contagious. Pathogens can be distributed in … How contagious is a pleural empyema? | What is a pleural empyema?
Definition – What is a pleural empyema? The translation of the technical term “pleural empyema” means an accumulation of pus in the pleura. The pleura describes an envelope of the lungs, which consists of two leaves. The lung itself is covered by a thin leaf of the pleura, the so-called “visceral pleura”. From the outside, … What is a pleural empyema?
Course of the disease with a pleural empyema A pleural empyema is usually preceded by an infectious disease, which can enter the body in various ways. Only when this inflammation reaches the edges of the lungs and the pleura can pus accumulate there. The original inflammation may be highly acute and active, or it may … Course of the disease with a pleural empyema | What is a pleural empyema?
Causes of pleural empyema The most common cause of a pleural empyema is a bacterial inflammation of the leaves of the pleura. Normally, the pleura is a closed space where neither air nor bacteria can enter. Bacteria can only cause an inflammation there if they reach one of the pleura‘s leaves from the outside or … Causes of pleural empyema | What is a pleural empyema?
