Video thoracoscopic surgery used to manage tuberculosis in thoracic surgery.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the indications and results of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for the management of tuberculosis in 10 patients with unusual clinical and radiologic presentation for the disease.


METHODS
From March 2000 to March 2002, 96 diagnostic VATS operations for unclear thoracic lesions were performed at the authors' institution. Their final diagnosis for 10 (10.4%) of these patients was tuberculosis. The suspected preoperative diagnoses were pancoast tumour (n = 1), pericardial effusion (n = 1), pleural mesothelioma (n = 1), pleural empyema (n = 2), mediastinal lymphoma (n = l), and lung cancer (n = 4).


RESULTS
For all the patients, the diagnosis of tuberculosis was achieved by VATS. The duration of drainage was 2.5 days. There have been neither morbidity nor mortality since surgery. The hospital stay was 3 to 5 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Thoracoscopy is a safe and effective procedure for the management of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis should be kept in mind during the differential diagnosis of unknown thoracic lesions, and also for patients who live in economically well developed countries and are not immune compromised.
Beshay
M
M
Division of General Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Berne, Berne, 3010, Switzerland.
Dorn
P
P
Kuester
J R
JR
Carboni
G L
GL
Gugger
M
M
Schmid
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000601:surgery*