Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Tuberculosis Receiving Adjunctive Surgery in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Surgical interventions are performed as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment in Uzbekistan in 10–12% of diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) patients. In this study among patients with respiratory TB who had surgical interventions in Republican Specialized Scientific-Practical Medical Centre of Phthisiology and Pulmonology of Uzbekistan (RSSPMCPP) from January to May 2017, we describe (i) reasons and types of surgical intervention, (ii) post-surgical complications, (iii) histological diagnosis before and after surgery, and (iv) treatment outcomes. There were 101 patients included in the analysis (mean age 36 years; 51% male; 71% lived in rural areas). The main indications for surgical intervention included pulmonary tuberculoma (40%), fibrocavitary, or cavernous pulmonary TB (23%) and massive hemoptysis (20%). Pulmonary resections were the most frequent surgical procedures: segmentectomy (41%), lobectomy or bilobectomy (19%), and combined resection (17%). Ten patients (9%) suffered post-surgery complications. According to histological examination after surgery, TB was confirmed in 81 (80%) patients. For the other 20 patients, the confirmed diagnoses were: lung cancer (n = 6), echinococcosis (n = 5), post-TB fibrosis (n = 5), non-tuberculous pleurisy (n = 2), hamartoma (n = 1), and pneumonia (n = 1). The majority of patients (94%), who underwent surgery, were considered successfully treated. In conclusion, adjunctive surgical therapy can be an option for TB treatment, especially in cases of complicated TB.