Multiple Pulmonary Sous-Pleural Tuberculous Abscess Treated Surgically

Abstract

Clinical-Medical Images Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that can involve any organ or tissue in the body. The most frequent location of tuberculosis is pulmonary. Multiple peripheral pulmonary abscesses are a rare entity of tuberculosis. An old man, with past medical history of smoking, who suffered from dyspnea and fever since 15 hours.Chest radiography revealed a bilateral pneumothorax, with liquid pleural effusion in the left pleura space (Figure 1). So, chest drain was performed in the two pleural spaces, and the patient received anti biotherapy during 15 days. Bacteriologic examination with BK analyses in the pleural liquid was negative. The patient persisted with fever and biologic inflammatory syndrome. CT scan revealed bilateral multiple sous-pleural abscesses (Figures 2 and 3). The patient underwent surgery of pulmonary decortication with drainage of these abscesses. Histologic examination of the operative specimen confirmed the presence of tuberculous granuloma with cause’s necrosis. The patient received anti-tuberculosis quadri-therapy.