[Artificial pneumothorax in the combined therapy of destructive pulmonary tuberculosis].

44 patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis received chemotherapy (intermittent antibacterial drugs, i.v. isoniazid) and artificial pneumothopax (AP). 42 patients had infiltrative disease (destructive in 15, disseminated in 27 cases). Discharge of the bacilli occurred in 95.4%. AP application was followed by thoracocautery in 3-4 weeks to form appropriate collapse of the affected lung portions. Short adhesions were burnt, plane ones were extrapleurally detached according to the technique developed in the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Tuberculosis. A complete correction of pneumothorax was achieved in 43 patients. Neither intra- nor postoperative complications were reported. The discharge stopped in 100%, the caverns closed in 93.1% of the cases.