[Spontaneous pneumothorax associated to active pulmonary tuberculosis]

This paper reviewed 8 cases of spontaneous pneumothorax, associated to pulmonary tuberculosis during a period of time of two years at the A.L.M. General Hospital of Toluca, Mex. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical picture, radiology and bacteriology studies. Six males and two females proceding of the low class; farmers all of them. Their age ranged between 18 and 35 years. Two of the patients showed cavitary lesions, five had difusse fibrosis of the lung. We analized the clinical manifestations and reviewed the pathogenic mechanisms as well the medical and surgical treatment. No deaths ocurred en this series. We concluded that the direct relation between active pulmonary tuberculosis and spontaneous pneumothorax is not clear, but their association in this serie suggested further studies to stablished this. We emphasized the importance of this complication rare in the world literature.