Chronic tuberculous empyema with bronchopleural fistula resulting in treatment failure and progressive drug resistance

• Published in: Chest Vol. 100; no. 1; p. 124
• Main Authors: Iseman, M D, Madsen, L A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1991
• Subjects: Aged; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Bronchial Fistula - diagnostic imaging; Bronchial Fistula - etiology; Chronic Disease; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Empyema, Tuberculous - complications; Empyema, Tuberculous - diagnostic imaging; Empyema, Tuberculous - drug therapy; Female; Fistula - diagnostic imaging; Fistula - etiology; Humans; Lung - diagnostic imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Pleura - diagnostic imaging; Pleural Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Pleural Diseases - etiology; Radiography
• ISSN: 0012-3692; 1931-3543
• DOI: 10.1378/chest.100.1.124

We treated five patients with a past history of tuberculous pleural infection that led to chronic, quiescent, loculated empyema. Reactivation of TB was associated with formation of BPF and recovery of drug-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum. All patients had recurrence of positive sputum cultures that yielded tubercle bacilli resistant to drugs they were receiving. The lungs demonstrated gross thickening with calcification of both visceral and parietal pleura. Two patients underwent retreatment chemotherapy followed by decortication-empyemectomy and lung resection surgery; both are now culture-negative for TB. One patient received retreatment chemotherapy but refused surgery; he remains clinically stable with negative sputum cultures. Two other patients' organisms became drug-resistant and they remain sputum-culture positive. We believe that thick, calcified pleural walls limit penetration of drugs into the infected empyema space, resulting in suboptimal drug concentrations and drug resistance. Intensified chemotherapy and surgical intervention should be considered in these cases.