{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:36:15Z","timestamp":1760146575790,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":15,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"22","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]],"date-time":"2024-11-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1731974400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Asociatia Thoracare, Romania","award":["CIF 49997510"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CIF 49997510"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: COVID-19-related pulmonary complications, such as lung abscesses and pleural empyema, are rare but serious. This study presents a case series of three patients with COVID-19-associated lung abscesses complicated by pleural empyema, managed conservatively with percutaneous intracavitary drainage (ICD) and lavage. We assess the efficacy and safety of this treatment and compare our findings with the current literature. Methods: A retrospective analysis of three cases treated at the Clinic of Thoracic Surgery and Intensive Care Unit in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, was conducted. All patients developed severe lung involvement post-COVID-19, with abscesses rupturing into the pleural cavity. Conservative management included percutaneous ICD and daily lavage with isotonic saline, avoiding extensive surgery due to the patients\u2019 critical condition. Clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes were followed, and results were compared to similar cases in the literature. Results: Among 496 critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection, three patients (age 42\u201360) developed lung abscesses and bacterial superinfection. In all patients, the germs involved were identified (monomicrobial infection in 1, polymicrobial in 2 patients). The abscesses were treated with percutaneous ICD and lavage, leading to clinical improvement in all cases. Long-term drainage (94\u2013290 days) was necessary to obtain healing, and none of the patients required lung resection or decortication. Serial CT scans showed resolution of the abscesses and empyema. All were successfully discharged, and long-term follow-up (30\u201332 months) revealed minor radiological sequelae and mild respiratory impairment. The literature review found three studies summarizing 45 patients with lung abscesses complicating COVID-19 infections, but only one study addressed the use of percutaneous ICD. The mortality reported in this group was high (50\u201365%). Conclusions: Conservative treatment with percutaneous ICD and lavage is effective in managing lung abscesses and pleural empyema in critically ill COVID-19 patients, offering a viable alternative to surgery in high-risk cases. This method may be beneficial in multidisciplinary care for non-surgical candidates.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13226962","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]],"date-time":"2024-11-19T10:44:37Z","timestamp":1732013077000},"page":"6962","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Management of COVID-19 Infection Associated Lung Abscess with Secondary Pleural Empyema Using Percutaneous Intracavitary Drainage: Case Series and Review of the Literature"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Emanuel","family":"Palade","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"},{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ioana-Medeea","family":"Titu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"},{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Angela Elena","family":"Goia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tudor Dan","family":"Simu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sergiu Adrian","family":"Ciulic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8492-5777","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simona","family":"Manole","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Radiology, Niculae Stancioiu Heart Institute, Calea Motilor 19-21, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Monica","family":"Mlesnite","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Thoracic Surgery Clinic, Leon Daniello Clinical Hospital of Pneumology, 400371 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kummer, R.L., and Marini, J.J. 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Care"}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/13\/22\/6962\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:35:08Z","timestamp":1760114108000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/13\/22\/6962"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]]},"references-count":15,"journal-issue":{"issue":"22","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm13226962"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm13226962","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2077-0383"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,19]]}}}