Treatment of Lung Abscess IV antibiotics or, for less seriously affected patients, oral antibiotics Percutaneous, endobronchial, or surgical drainage of any abscess that does not respond to antibiotics or of any empyema The primary choice is a combination beta-lactam / beta-lactamase inhibitor, for example, ampicillin / sulbactam 1.5 g (1 g ampicillin plus 0.5 g sulbactam) to 3 g (2 g ampicillin plus 1 g sulbactam) IV or IM every 6 hours; the dose should not exceed 12 g per day.