Alternatives to resectional surgery for infectious disease of the lung: from embolization to thoracoplasty.

Surgical treatment of lung diseases is based on removal of the affected lung tissue, achieved by atypical or anatomic lung resection. Infectious lung diseases are generally treated by medical therapy, including medications, chest physiotherapy, bronchoscopic toilet, and respiratory rehabilitation. Surgical management of infectious disease of the lung is integrated in the multispecialty care. This article focuses exclusively on nonresectional surgery and other alternatives to lung resection and addresses bacterial infection and fungal disease of the lung.