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[Obstructive emphysema of infant during pulmonary tuberculosis]
F Cataldo1, G Viani, P Di Stefano
1Clinica Pediatrica R, Univeresità degli Studi, Palermo.
Insights
Obstructive emphysema in infants, a rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis, can be treated effectively with medical therapy. This case study highlights successful outcomes using antitubercular antibiotics and corticotherapy, avoiding aggressive surgical intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
Background:
- Pulmonary tuberculosis in infants can lead to rare complications.
- Enlarged lymphadenopathy in tuberculosis can compress airways, causing obstructive emphysema.
- Obstructive emphysema presents a diagnostic challenge in pediatric cases.
Abstract:
A rare complication of pulmonary tuberculosis of infant is the obstructive emphysema following to the compression by enlarged lymphadenopathy. The authors report a case of obstructive emphysema observed in a 12 month old infant affected by pulmonary tuberculosis, and debate its more important pathogenethic, clinical and differential diagnosis aspects. At last they comment upon favourable clinical course observed as results of an exclusive medical treatment (antitubercular antibiotic therapy shortly combined with moderate corticotherapy) without making use of surgical, but aggressive, treatment.