[Colapse therapy in the complex treatment of new cases of destructive pulmonary tuberculosis].

The results of therapy were comparatively analyzed in 103 patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis receiving collapse therapy (artificial pneumothorax (n=42), pneumoperitoneum (n=57), artificial pneumothorax + pneumoperitoneum (n=4) and 99 control patients. Collapse therapy substantially increases the efficiency of treatment of new cases of destructive pulmonary tuberculosis: bacterial discharge cessation was achieved in 95.6%; decay cavities were closed in 90.2% (72.4 and 61.6% in the controls, respectively). With artificial pneumothorax, decay cavities closures occurred more frequently and earlier: after an average of 3.5 +/- 1.3-months of therapy; with pneumoperitoneum it did following 4.5 +/- 1.0 months. Early loose pleural adhesions do not preclude the formation of a gas bubble and the collapse of an afflicted lung portion.