Empyema Occurred after Completion of Antituberculous Chemotherapy

항결핵치료 종료후 발생한 농흉

A 38 years old man had been treated as a pulmonary tuberculosis by the positive result of acid fast stain of bronchial washing from the focal infiltrative lesion at left lower lobe. On radiologic examination after one year treatment, there was an aggravation of lesion at left lower lobe with moderate amount of pleural effusion at the same side. After 11 weeks, follow up chest film disclosed bilateral pleural effusion. The pleural fluid of both side was pus in gross appearance with low pH, high LDH, low glucose and high protein. Pleurodectomy was performed to remove the loculated empyema with the thickened pleura of right thorax. This pleuro-pulmonary lesion can be easily misdiagnosed as a tuberculous lesion if it is not taken into consideration as a possible diagnosis.