[Acquired Bronchial Atresia due to Endobronchial Tuberculosis]

A 37-year-old woman was re-admitted to our hospital because the recurrence of endobronchial tuberclosis was suspected. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not detected by culture of sputum and gastric fluid, and computed tomography revealed a left superior segmental bronchus obstruction and pneumonia. Her pneumonia improved by administration of antibiotics, but the strong cough persisted. Bronchoscopic examination revealed that the left superior segmental bronchus was blind. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not detected from a biopsy of the blind bronchus wall. We diagnosed that her obstructive pneumonia was due to acquired atresia after endobronchial tuberculosis. Because a persistent cough even after the treatment of pneumonia indicated the possibility of recurrent obstructive pneumonia, surgical resection was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day. The atresia of the superior segmental bronchus was histologically considered to be acquired atresia due to the inflammation from tuberculosis.