Surgical Treatment of Atypical Mycobacterial Disease

A Survey of Experience in Veterans Administration Hospitals

¹ Chief, Surgical Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, Clinical Instructor, Cora and Webb Mading Department of Surgery, Baylor University

Nine Veterans Administration hospitals reported every patient with pulmonary disease caused by atypical mycobacteria who had been treated surgically between January 1, 1958, and June 30, 1963. Ninety-eight patients had 101 surgical procedures during this period. Major complications related to the acid-fast disease occurred in 9 per cent, one of which resulted in death, a surgical mortality of 1 per cent. Good results were obtained in 94 per cent.

There were two late, unrelated deaths, and late bacteriologic relapse occurred in five patients.

Surgical intervention in patients with pulmonary disease caused by mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis has been demonstrated to be safe. Although the role of surgery cannot be stated with finality, it clearly has the capabilities of making a major contribution toward the early rehabilitation of these patients, when skillfully performed in properly selected patients.