PURPOSE: With the success of percutaneous abdominal abscess drainage, attention is now being focused on the use of similar techniques in the thorax. We studed to evaluate the effect of percutaneous drainage in parenchymal fluid collections in the lungs. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We performed percutaneous drainage of abscesses and other parenchymal fluid collections of the lungs in 15 patients. All of the procedures were performed under the fluoroscopic guidance with an 18-gauge Seldinger needle and coaxial technique with a 8-10F drainage catheter. RESULTS: Among 10 patients with lung.abscess, 8 patients improved by percutaneous catheter drainage. In one patient, drainage was failed by the accidental withdrawal of the catheter before complete drainage. One patient died of sepsis 5 hours after the procedure. Among three patients with complicated bulla, successful drainage was done in two patients, but in the remaining patient, the procedure was failed. In one patient with intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst, the drainage was not successful due to the thick internal contents. In one patient with traumatic hematoma, after the drainage of old blood clots, the signs of infection disappeared. Overally, of 14 patients excluding one who died, 11 patients improved with percutaneous catheter drainage and three patients did not. There were no major complications during and after the procedure. CONCLUSION: We conclude that percutaneous catheter drainage is effective and safe procedure for the treatment of arenchymal fluid collections of the lung in patients unresponsive to the medical treatment.