Infections of the Lung

The history of thoracic surgery begins with treatment of pulmonary infections. While now, much of therapy is medical, certain infectious pathologies in the lung require surgical intervention. Lung abscesses are most commonly treated with antibiotics alone, but require intervention for overwhelming size or septic complications. Several complications can arise from pulmonary tuberculosis that requires surgical attending, including pericardial effusion, constrictive pericarditis, pleural lesions, hemoptysis, and endobronchial stenosis. Certain pathogens, such as mucormycosis, are often rapidly fatal, requiring urgent resection for an opportunity for recovery.