Spontaneous pneumothorax in miliary tuberculosis child: a case report
Abstract
Spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare but fatal complication of
miliary tuberculosis. We report a 13-year-old boy presenting with
shortness of breath. He was diagnosed with miliary tuberculosis
with spontaneous pneumothorax, which showed significant
improvement after the insertion of a thoracostomy tube and
anti-tuberculosis drug therapy.[Paediatr Indones. 2022;62:364-
6DOI: https://doi.org/10.14238/pi62.5.2022.364-6 ].
Keywords: pneumothorax; miliary tuberculosis;
children; case report
Miliary tuberculosis is a severe form of
tuberculosis arising as a consequence
of hematogenous and lymphogenous
dissemination of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. Around 3-7% of all tuberculosis cases
have been reported to be miliary.1 The mortality rate
of miliary tuberculosis is estimated to be 25%, but may
reach 100% if left untreated.2 Patients with miliary
tuberculosis classically present with fever, evening
rise of temperature for several weeks, anorexia,
weight loss, lethargy, and cough. The symptoms can
lead to severe complication such as pneumothorax,
pleural effusion, respiratory distress syndrome, and
acute respiratory failure. Miliary tuberculosis, as a
form of advanced tuberculosis in children, is a known
cause of secondary pneumothorax one of the main
tuberculosis complications.3 We report a case of
miliary tuberculosis with spontaneous pneumothorax.
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