Bronchial tuberculosis with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax: A case report

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with tuberculosis due to clinical manifestations, imaging findings and negative pleural biopsy is rare. CASE REPORT: A 43-year-old young woman went to the hospital several times because of recurrent dyspnea and was diagnosed with a right spontaneous pneumothorax. She underwent multiple closed thoracic drainage procedures, but the pneumothorax was not completely resolved. Pleural biopsy pathology was chronic inflammation; there was no evidence of tuberculosis. A small amount of pneumothorax persisted, intermittent dyspnea became more severe, and pneumothorax increased. Bronchoscopy showed thickening of the left lung lingular segment mucosa, and the bronchial lavage fluid gene X-PERT/rifampicin resistance test was positive. After one month of anti-tuberculosis treatment, the symptoms of short breath were completely relieved, and chest computerized tomography (CT) showed complete resolution of the right pneumothorax. CONCLUSIONS: When searching for the cause of spontaneous pneumothorax, people should not overlook tuberculosis-related secondary pneumothorax, which should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.