Active pulmonary tuberculosis: experience with resection in 106 cases

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.