Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the evaluation of lung abscesses.

To define the results of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) in patients with lung abscess and to characterize those patients most likely to have an underlying carcinoma, we retrospectively studied the records of 52 consecutive patients undergoing FFB at our institution between 1975 and 1982. Nineteen patients (36.5 percent) had an associated bronchogenic carcinoma (group 1); 33 (63.5 percent) had no malignancy (group 2). The FFB aided in diagnosing 73.7 percent of group 1 patients, but added no information in group 2 patients. Group 1 and 2 patients differed significantly with respect to prevalence of systemic symptoms (15.8 percent vs 51.5 percent, p less than 0.01); predisposition to aspiration pneumonia (26.3 percent vs 60.6 percent, p less than 0.01); mean presenting white blood cell count (10.9 vs 14.2, p less than 0.05); mean oral temperature at presentation (37.5 vs 38.3 degrees C, p less than 0.05); and the prevalence of extensive infiltrates on the initial chest roentgenogram (17.0 percent vs 83.6 percent, p less than 0.05). Based on these data, we believe that by carefully considering the available clinical information, it is possible to identify those patients whose lung abscesses are likely to be related to bronchogenic carcinoma. Such individuals should be promptly evaluated. It is not necessary, however, to routinely order bronchoscopy for all patients with lung abscess.