Complications of primary tuberculosis in childhood
Hofmann, A.; Tomas, A.; Herrmann, K.
Praxis und Klinik der Pneumologie 35(3): 127-140
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0342-7498 PMID: 7232285 Document Number: 175459
During 1974-1980, 2507 patients with primary tuberculosis were admitted to hospitals. There were 1472 patients with bronchial lymph node affections; 124 were infants under the age of 2 yr; and 226 were under the age of 5 yr. In 757 cases (52%) local bronchoscopic treatment was instituted because of severe stenosis (319 = 21.7%) or lymph node fistulae (438 = 29.8%). There were 54 children who did not react to this treatment and had to have thoracotomy because of large paratracheal lymph node abscesses or extensive atelectasis. Involvement of upper lobe segments in 25 children necessitated wedge resection in13 cases and segment resection in addition to thoracotomy for paratracheal lymph node abscesses in 12 cases. The indications for, and the results of, surgical intervention were reviewed.