Lung Abscess: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

LUNG ABSCESS 

What is lung abscess :-

A lung abscess is a pus-filled cavity in your lung surrounded by inflamed tissue. It usually results from breathing bacteria that normally live in your mouth or throat into the lungs, leading to an infection.

Lung abscess is the localised necrotic lesion of the lung containing person material and from activity. 

Causes :-

Primary: A primary lung abscess stems from an extension of a condition involving the lung itself.

Secondary: Lung abscesses may occur secondarily as the result of a condition outside of the lungs spreading to the lungs.

** "The most common cause of a lung abscess is aspiration of anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that live without oxygen) from the mouth." **

Risk factors :-

_ Drug overdose

_ Alcoholism

_ Patient is having NG tube

_ Pneumonia

_ general anaesthesia

_ infectious agent

_ anaerobic bacilli

Pathophysiology :-

     Due to any etiological factor

                         ⬇️

  Infections agents gets in to the lungs

                         ⬇️

             Abscess formation

Clinical manifestation  / Sign & Symptoms :-

_ Pleuritic pain

_ weight loss

_ sweating

_ cough

_ chills

_ increased pulse rate 

_ fever

_ dull chest pain

Diagnostic evaluation :-

_ history collection

_ physical examination 

_ chest X Ray

_ bronchoscopy

_ sputum test

_ CT scan of the chest

Complications :-

Empyema: An abscess may rupture into the pleural cavity, the space between the membranes that line the lungs. When this occurs, the condition is often treated differently.

Bronchopleural fistula: A fistula (abnormal passageway) may develop between a bronchus and the pleural cavity.

Management :-

Medical management

_ administer antimicrobial therapy

_ chest physiotherapy

_ postural drainage should be given

_ bronchodialators (for dilate bronchi)

_ mucolytics (to liquefie secretion) mostly penicillin with metronidazole used

Nursing management 

1. Administer antimicrobial as     prescribed

2. assist patient with painful area during coughing deep breathing to more effective and less traumatic coughing

3. Provide medication to control the pain

4. maintain comfort position provide fowler or semifowler position to patient to promote maximal inspiration

5. Assist with respiratory treatment.

By : @ummedsaini_