Treatment of Complications Arising in the Course of Pneumothorax Therapy of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

¹ The Tuberculosis Service, United States Naval Hospital, Corona, California.

This paper sets forth the statistics of a large U. S. Naval Hospital Tuberculosis Unit with special attention to the occurrence and treatment of complications associated with Pneumothorax Therapy. Such complications are classified as those resulting from the performance of pneumothorax and those resulting from coincident intrathoracic changes.

An outline of suggested pneumothorax technique is presented with the suggestion that proper procedure will eliminate complications. In complications resulting from intrathoracic changes, it is suggested that the patient suffer a minimum of interference; that the condition of the patient and his response to his disease rather than the mere presence of fluid, adhesion or other complication be the determining factor for the institution of surgical procedures. The various complications are discussed as regards treatment, particularly with the aim of their elimination without the forced abandonment of the pneumothorax and the performance of more permanent surgical procedures.

Finally, tables of the collapse procedures instituted, the complications arising and the measures used to combat these in 1,048 consecutive cases are presented.