Results of surgery for bronchiectasis and pulmonary abscesses.

Bronchiectasis and lung abscess are generally treated medically, reserving surgery for when medical treatment has failed. Current goals of surgical therapy for bronchiectasis are to offer possible cure and better quality of life after medical treatment has failed and to resolve and prevent complications, such as empyema, severe hemoptysis, and lung abscess. Whenever possible, complete resections of localized disease should be done, reserving palliative resections to selected diffuse bronchiectasis with localized severe disease. Most lung abscesses can be successfully treated medically provided early diagnosis and prompt treatment are instituted.