[Pleuro-pulmonary suppurations].

Lung abscess and empyema are rare in healthy people. They usually occur when such predisposing factors as alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, immunodepression, neurological disorders, previous chest surgery and bronchial stenosis are present. Evacuation of pus and antibiotic therapy form the basis of treatment. Anaerobic bacteria are the most common causative agents, and they are particularly suspected in patients with putrid sputum or pleural fluid. The penicillin-metronidazole combination is used in these anaerobic infections. In every case, a careful search for the responsible organism has to be made in order to choose the best antibiotic.