Relapses after Lung Resection for Tuberculosis

The incidence of relapses was studied in 835 patients in an interval of 3 to 11 years after resection for pulmonary tuberculosis. Success was achieved in 741 patients (88.8 percent); failure was reported in 56 (6.7 percent) and relapse in 38 (4.5 percent) patients. Relapses occurred most often three to five years after operation. The number of relapses was higher in men (5.4 percent) than in women (2.9 percent). The occurrence of relapses was not substantially influenced by the age of the patients operated on. Relapses were most frequently observed after lobectomies with a simultaneous segmental resection, even though this particular intervention was among those least represented in our series. Relapses were most often demonstrated both by bacteriologic and roentgenologic examination. Homolateral changes were most often found on x-ray pictures. Patients with relapses were treated with antituberculosis drugs. Only in six patients was resection repeatedly performed. At the time of the re-examination, 15 patients with relapses were healed, 10 continued with treatment. The condition of three patients was unsatisfactory, namely, in one case for an associated disease and in two cases for tuberculosis. Two patients died, of them one of pulmonary tuberculosis. From the study it follows that nowadays a very low risk of relapses after surgery is to be expected.