[Surgical aspects of pulmonary aspergilloma in 24 patients]

From January 1991 to July 1998, 24 patients were operated for pulmonary aspergilloma. All the patients presented previous tuberculosis treated. Hemoptysis had been the revealing elements of the illness in 80% of cases. Treatment was by resection in all the cases: 13 pneumonectomy (54%) and 11 partial resections (46%). The procedures were usually difficult and hemorrhagic. The global mortality was 20%, can be explained by the high number of major resections and the unfavourable general state of health of our patients. Post operative complications are mainly due to secondary empyemas encountered in 15% of the surviving ones. The surgical resection of pulmonary aspergilloma is still difficult and risky for extended underlying parenchymal disease. Minima procedures such as speleotomy and intra cavitary aspiration technique must be indicated in patients with very poor general condition.