Tuberculous empyema
Updates to Article Attributes
Tuberculous empyema is a chronic, active infection of the pleural space characterizedcharacterised by thick rind of pleura with thick and irregular calcification of both parietal and visceral pleura usually surrounding a loculated pleural fluid which contains a large number of tubercle bacilli 1. This could act as a fibrothorax
It is different from the more common tuberculous pleural effusions which is an inflammatory response to a localizedlocalised paucibacillary pleural infection with tuberculosis.
Treatment and prognosis
Treatment consists of pleural space drainage, decortication to allow re-expansion of the trapped lung and decortication plus pneumonectomy to remove a lung 2. Adjuvant antituberculous chemotherapy may also be given, but usually leads to development of drug resistance as the drugs are unable to cross the thick calcified pleural barrier 3.
See also
-<p><strong>Tuberculous empyema </strong>is a chronic, active infection of the pleural space characterized by thick rind of pleura with thick and irregular calcification of both parietal and visceral pleura usually surrounding a loculated pleural fluid which contains a large number of tubercle bacilli <sup>1</sup>.</p><p>It is different from the more common tuberculous pleural effusions which is an inflammatory response to a localized paucibacillary pleural infection with tuberculosis.</p><p>Treatment consists of pleural space drainage, decortication to allow re-expansion of the trapped lung and decortication plus pneumonectomy to remove a lung <sup>2</sup>. Adjuvant antituberculous chemotherapy may also be given, but usually leads to development of drug resistance as the drugs are unable to cross the thick calcified pleural barrier <sup>3</sup>. </p>- +<p><strong>Tuberculous empyema </strong>is a chronic, active infection of the pleural space characterised by thick rind of pleura with thick and irregular calcification of both parietal and visceral pleura usually surrounding a loculated pleural fluid which contains a large number of tubercle bacilli <sup>1</sup>. This could act as a <a href="/articles/fibrothorax">fibrothorax</a></p><p>It is different from the more common tuberculous pleural effusions which is an inflammatory response to a localised paucibacillary pleural infection with tuberculosis.</p><h4>Treatment and prognosis</h4><p>Treatment consists of pleural space drainage, decortication to allow re-expansion of the trapped lung and decortication plus pneumonectomy to remove a lung <sup>2</sup>. Adjuvant antituberculous chemotherapy may also be given, but usually leads to development of drug resistance as the drugs are unable to cross the thick calcified pleural barrier <sup>3</sup>. </p><h4>See also</h4><ul>
- +<li><a href="/articles/thoracic-empyema-1">thoracic empyema</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/tuberculosis-pulmonary-manifestations-1">pulmonary tuberculosis</a></li>
- +</ul>
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