Surgical management of chest wall tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE

Tuberculosis remains one of the most fatal diseases in the world. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis increases in parallel fashion with the rise of incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Tuberculosis of the chest wall is rare.

METHODS

Our study retrospectively evaluated 10 patients with tuberculosis of the chest wall who were treated with surgery in addition to antituberculous chemotherapy in the last 8 years. Seven of the lesions were located on the anterior chest wall, and three of the lesions were on the lateral chest wall.

RESULTS

Surgical therapy consisted of evacuation of the cold abscess material from the cavities and wide débridement of the soft tissue planes in all patients. Partial rib resections were performed in six patients owing to costal or chondral involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Chest wall tuberculosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of chest wall lesions, especially in endemic areas.