[Bronchopleural fistula: a late complication of collapse therapy in pulmonary tuberculosis]

Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a late complication of collapse therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis which usually develops several decades after the procedure. A characteristic finding in the chest radiogram is a pleural hydroaerial level, which suggests the diagnosis when associated with gravitational chocolate-like sputum. As the treatment of these patients is difficult, we think it is appropriate that they should be controlled in a primary care setting by periodical radiological studies (posteroanterior chest radiograms) which may permit early detection of the condition so as to establish specific therapy.