HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Naidoo, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Naidoo, R. Related Collections Lung - other

Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Experience with Resection in 106 Cases

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Mayville, South Africa

For reprint information contact: Rishendran Naidoo, FC Cardio (SA) Tel: 27 31 240 2114 Fax: 27 31 240 2113 Email: rishendran{at}mweb.co.za, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Private Bag X03, Mayville, 4058, South Africa.

The surgical management of pulmonary tuberculosis has evolved since collapse therapy was the mainstay of treatment. Despite this, resection for active tuberculosis is viewed with circumspection. Details of 106 patients with pathologically proven active pulmonary tuberculosis, who were operated on from January 1997 to January 2005, were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic data, radiographic profiles, indications for surgery, sputum status, and preoperative drug therapy were analyzed in relation to outcomes. The indications for surgery included multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in 27 patients, hemoptysis in 44, bronchiectasis in 27, and diagnostic dilemmas where a tumor could not be excluded in 8. All patients were operated on while receiving antituberculous therapy, and 17 were sputum positive at the time of surgery. Two (1.9%) patients died postoperatively. Morbidity was 16.9%, including 6 cases of postpneumonectomy empyema and one of bronchopleural fistula. Surgery for active tuberculosis may be undertaken with acceptable morbidity and mortality.