title: Empyema presenting over thirty years after pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: Four patients are described who presented with empyema between 32 and 53 years after pulmonary tuberculosis had been treated by artificial pneumothorax (A.P.) without chemotherapy. Diagnostic problems included non-specific radiographic features and failure to find a causative organism. Empyema should be considered when patients with old pulmonary tuberculosis deteriorate and there are non-specific radiographic changes. Antituberculosis chemotherapy, or even decortication, may be indicated if a pyogenic organism cannot be found.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004653:Empyema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*