ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is a health problem preserving its importance currently worldwide. Although medical therapy hTuberculosis is a health problem preserving its importance currently worldwide. Although medical therapy has demonstrated a great success rate in pulmonary tuberculosis, surgical approaches reserve their importance in the treatment of complications. Our surgical experience in pulmonary tuberculosis for a 7-year-period was assessed retrospectively. Of the 63 patients all were male and their mean age was 20.4±4.2 (16-32) years. Decortication, lobectomy, pneumonectomy, wedge resection and various other operations were performed to 34 (54.0%), 8 (12.7%), 2 (3.1%), 15 (23.8%) and 4 (6.3%) of the patients, respectively. Surgical operations were performed because of trapped lung, bronchiectasis, destroyed lung, massive hemoptysis, bronchopleural fistula, and noduler and cavitary lesions. Complications were observed in a total of 25 (39.7%) patients. Of these complications prolonged air leak, empyema, bleeding, bronchopleural fistula and residual dead space were observed in 13 (20.6%), 5 (7.9%), 3 (4.8%), 2 (3.2%) and 2 (3.2%) of the patients, respectively. There were no mortality or major complications during the surgery. Surgical operations are appropriate treatment approaches in pulmonary tuberculosis with acceptable complication rates.tment approaches in pulmonary tuberculosis with acceptable complication rates.