Survival Following Extensive Pulmonary Resection in Advanced Tuberculosis

¹ Respiratory Laboratory, American University Hospital, Beirut and the Armenian Sanatorium, Azounieh, Lebanon

Pulmonary function was studied in a 36-year-old woman who had undergone left pneumonectomy, left thoracoplasty, right upper lobectomy and resection of the medial segment of the right middle lobe, because of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. At the time of the study, her sputum was negative and she was leading a fairly active life. The vital capacity was 50 per cent of predicated and the one-second forced expiratory volume was 45-51 per cent of vital capacity. Total lung capacity was 75 per cent of predicted (for both lungs) and residual volume was 48 per cent of total lung capacity. Arterial blood gases and pH were normal at rest. Arterial O₂ tension and pH decreased, and arterial CO₂ tension increased during exercise. Ventilation equivalent was normal, the venous admixture-like effect and the alveolar-arterial O₂ gradient were greater than normal and the resting O₂ diffusing capacity was reduced.