[A case of endobronchial tuberculosis complicated with atelectasis of right upper lobe]

A case of endobronchial tuberculosis complicated with atelectasis of upper lobe of the right lung is reported. A 79-years old female was admitted to our hospital for rehabilitation of her Parkinsonisms. On admission, her chest X-ray photo showed atelectasis of right upper lobe. A nodule of a broad-bean size was observed at the orifice of the right upper bronchus by a bronchofiberscopic examination and it was considered as the cause of the atelectasis. Histological examination of a specimen obtained by transbronchial biopsy of this nodule showed epithelioid granuloma. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from a bronchial washing after 4-weeks cultivation. Anti-tuberculous treatment with INH, RFP and EB was started on January 1992 and, consequently, her chest X-ray findings showed remarkable improvement. Bronchofiberscopic examination in January 1993 showed a marked reduction in the size of the nodule, and the atelectactic shadow had disappeared and just a residual scar was observed on her chest X-ray photo in June 1993.