[Role of pulmonary resections in management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. A monocentric series of 29 patients].

INTRODUCTION: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a worldwide health problem. Surgery is often used as an adjuvent therapy with anti-tuberculosis agents. The aim of this study is to present our results of pulmonary resections in the treatment of MDR-TB.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: [corrected] This is a retrospective monocentric study of 29 patients operated on between 1995 and 2010 for MDR-TB.

RESULTS: Tuberculosis was evolving from 9 to 108 months with a median of 34.77±19.88 months. The average number of tuberculosis relapses was 2.73 per patient. All patients had a destroyed and/or cavitary parenchyma and 17 had bacilli in sputum at the time of surgery. Lobectomy (51.17%) and pneumonectomy (41.37%) were the main interventions carried out. The operative mortality was 3.44%. Complications such prolonged air leaking and empyema had occurred in 9 patients. The rate of postoperative microbiological conversion was 88.23%. One patient had a relapse 5 months after surgery.

CONCLUSION: Surgery associated with medical treatment provides a high cure rate to the detriment of an acceptable morbidity and mortality.