On the Results of Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Artificial Pneumothorax

Brown, Charles Metcalfe (1930) On the Results of Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Artificial Pneumothorax. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

1. Artificial pneumothorax treatment is of definite value in cases in which ordinary sanatorium treatment has failed. Very advanced cases, on the whole, do not do well, but the average results in intermediate cases are good, especially when complete collapse is obtained. The mortality is very heavy, but is slightly less than that after ordinary sanatorium treatment. 2. Pulmonary collapse is an excellent measure when grave pulmonary haemorrhage has occurred. 3. The dangers of artificial pneumothorax operations can be reduced to a minimum by care on the part of the operator, the use of a small-bore Saugman needle for all operations and the liberal injection of a non-toxic local anaesthetic such as a solution of benzamine hydrochloride associated with adrenalin chloride. 4. In the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis by artificial pneumothorax, laryngeal tuberculosis, if present, is cured or much improved in cases in which good pulmonary collapse is obtained. 5. Good results in artificial pneumothorax treatment are obtained in inverse ratio to the number and extent of adhesions in the side treated. More than half of the cases in which good collapse without adhesions was obtained are now fit for work, but less than a sixth of the other cases of artificial pneumothorax are able to follow any occupation. 6. Other factors being equal, the percentage of cases in which as a result of collapse therapy, the sputum is absent or non-infectious is great er than that of cases in which sanatorium treat ment alone has been given. 7. In cases in which disease was bilateral before induction and in cases in which pleural effusion occurred during treatment, the results of collapse therapy are much below the average.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Medicine
• Date of Award: 1930
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1930-79862
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 03 Mar 2020 10:29
• Last Modified: 03 Mar 2020 10:29
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/79862