title: Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy as an aid to diagnosis in pediatric tuberculosis with pleural involvement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Successful treatment of tuberculosis relies on microbiological diagnosis and drug sensitivities. Due to the pauci-bacillary nature of childhood infection, this is often not possible. We describe the successful microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis using thoracoscopic pleural nodule biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In seven patients presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis and pleural involvement, but in whom microbiological diagnosis could not be established, thoracoscopic pleural biopsy was performed and analyzed for histology, acid-fast bacilli, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA, culture, and drug sensitivities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In five out of the seven patients we achieved positive histology, culture, and drug sensitivities. In the remaining two patients, histology, PCR, and DNA probe were positive for tuberculosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracoscopic pleural biopsy is a sensitive aid to the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis in children.
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. charleskeys@doctors.org.uk
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Keys
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: McLeod
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Pesti
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Armstrong
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial