Three patients were judged to be prohibitive operative risks despite the need for urgent drainage of cavitary pulmonary lesions. Cavernostomy was performed in each case, with a satisfactory long-term outcome in two patients. The third patient recovered from his pulmonary insult, but died much later, secondary to an unrelated illness. One patient had a purulent lung abscess due to aspiration, one had atypical tuberculosis resistant to all antibiotics, and the third patient experienced massive hemoptysis from a tuberculous cavity. Two-stage procedures were utilized in the first two patients, while urgent operation in the third patient was facilitated by adhesions from a previous thoracotomy and pleural infection. Care must be taken to minimize endobronchial and pleural contamination by meticulous attention to detail during the performance of percutaneous tube drainage. There are relatively few indications for percutaneous drainage of cavitary pulmonary lesions in this antibiotic era. However, certain clinical situations should prompt consideration for a pneumonotomy. These include a severely septic or debilitated patient who is unresponsive to medical management, the presence of resistant pathogens in a compromised host, and the presence of severe adhesive pleuritis which may prohibit an expeditious thoracotomy and resection for massive hemoptysis.