Introduction:

Pulmonary abscess is an infrequent pathology in the pediatric age with a diverse etiology. The treatment is medical - surgical.

Objective:

To review the clinical presentation, bacteriology, images and outcomes of pulmonary abscesses in pediatric patients.

Materials and Methods:

This was an observational, descriptive study, carried out from January 2010 to September 2016. All patients under 16 years of age, with a diagnosis of pulmonary abscess verified by computerized axial tomography (CT), were included. We collected the relevant clinical, hematological, bacteriological, treatment and outcome information for each case.

Results:

10 patients were included. They had an average age of 6 years, more frequently male. 80% developed as a complication of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and 100% were primary. The diagnosis was confirmed by chest CT. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 30% of cases. The right lung was the most frequently affected. All cases were cured with medical treatment only, using a third-generation cephalosporin, combined with an anti- staphylococcal antibiotic, with a treatment course of over 4 weeks. There were no deaths or readmissions.

Conclusions:

Pulmonary abscesses are rare. They can present as a complication of CAP or septicemia. They respond well to prolonged medical treatment and can occur in pediatric population without underlying pathologies.

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