Hemoptoe by tuberculosis in near term pregnant woman: a case report

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnancy because immunological changes in pregnancy make the activation of latent TB infection or de novo infection more likely than among non-pregnant women. The authors report the case of a pregnant woman referring for hemoptoe by TB infection. The patient showed a massive hemoptoe, because of it, the authors speculated that she was bleeding because of tubercular blood vessel erosion from bronchial or other systemic arteries supplying the lungs (high pressure system). Flexible or rigid bronchoscopy to identify the site of bleeding should be used. In the present case the authors preferred the flexible bronchoscopy because the cardiorespiratory status was stable and the bleeding was not ongoing. The flexible bronchoscopy permitted to make a diagnosis with microbiological exam on bronchial lavage.