This 67-year-old male with advanced colon cancer developed obstruction of the bowel and underwent palliative surgery to remove an 8-cm portion of colon containing the a bowel obstruction. During the surgery the patient had several episodes of hypotension. After and after surgery he did not regain consciousness and required ventilator support. Four days after surgery, later the patient developed a fever and his white blood cell count was found to be 15,256 cells/cm². Thus, he was started on broad-spectrum antibioticsmm3. A chest x-ray demonstrated infiltrates in both lungs, which worsened over the next several days. His overall condition continued to deteriorate and he died 12 days after surgery. At autopsy, the lungs were markedly consolidated and had several focal abscesses that were 2 to 4 cm in diameter. Liquefied material poured out from these abscesses when the lungs were sliced.

== Autopsy Findings Images ==At autopsy, metastatic colon cancer was found throughout <gallery heights="250px" widths="250px">File:IPLab1LungAbscess1.jpg|This is a gross photograph of the lungs from this case. Note the abdominal cavity and invading into abscesses (arrows) especially in the liverlower lobes. The lungs were markedly entire lung is consolidated and had several focal . File:IPLab1LungAbscess2.jpg|This is a closer view of the lung from this case. In this section of upper lobe there are multiple areas of early abscess formation (arrows). Note the circumscribed whitish-tan lesions. These lesions are filled with white blood cells.File:IPLab1LungAbscess3.jpg|This low-power photomicrograph of lung from this case demonstrates one of the abscesses (arrows). Note that were 2 to 4 cm in diameterthe material inside the abscess has been degraded and removed. Liquefied Note the loose necrotic material poured out from inside these abscesses when the lungs were slicedabscess. This material is made up of inflammatory cells (primarily dead white blood cells) and necrotic lung tissue.File:IPLab1LungAbscess5.jpg|This is a low-power photomicrograph of lung tissue containing a large abscess. The center of the abscess contains necrotic debris (1) and there is a rim of viable inflammatory cells (arrows) surrounding this abscess.File:IPLab1LungAbscess6.jpg|This high-power photomicrograph demonstrates a small abscess (arrow) with a necrotic center.File:IPLab1LungAbscess8.jpg|This high-power photomicrograph shows the center of this abscess which contains inflammatory cells (primarily neutrophils) (arrows). There is a bacterial colony in the center of this abscess (1).</gallery>

== Images Virtual Microscopy =={| cellpadding="10"| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess1.jpg|frameless]]== Lung Abscess ===| This is a gross photograph of the lungs from this case. Note the abscesses (arrows) especially in the lower lobes. The entire lung is consolidated. |<peir-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess2.jpg|frameless]]| This is a closer view of the lung from this case. In this section of upper lobe there are multiple areas of early abscess formation (arrows). Note the circumscribed whitishvm>IPLab1LungAbscess</peir-tan lesions. These lesions are filled with white blood cells.vm>|-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess3.jpg|frameless]]=== Normal Lung ===| This low<peir-power photomicrograph of lung from this case demonstrates one of the abscesses (arrows). Note that the material inside the abscess has been expelled. |vm>UAB-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess4.jpg|frameless]]| This higherHistology-power photomicrograph of lung demonstrates the edge of the abscess. Note the loss of material from the center of the abscess (1) and loose necrotic material that has not been expelled (2). This material is made up of inflammatory cells (primarily dead white blood cells) and necrotic lung tissue.|00107</peir-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess5.jpg|frameless]]| This is a low-power photomicrograph of lung tissue containing a large abscess. The center of the abscess contains necrotic debris (1) and there is a rim of viable inflammatory cells (arrows) surrounding this abscess.|-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess6.jpg|frameless]]| This high-power photomicrograph demonstrates a small abscess (arrow) with a necrotic center.|-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess7.jpg|frameless]]| This high-power photomicrograph shows the center of an abscess containing neutrophils and necrotic debris.|-| [[Image:IPLab1LungAbscess8.jpg|frameless]]| A high-power photomicrograph of lung from this case demonstrates a small abscess full of inflammatory cells (primarily neutrophils) (arrows). There is a bacterial colony in the center of this abscess (1).|}vm>

* [http://peir.path.uab.edu{{SERVER}}/library/index.php?/tags/61-abscess/27-lung PEIR Digital Library: Lung Abscess Images]

[[Category:IPLab:Lab 1]]