Spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient with tuberculosis-induced destroyed lung successfully treated with autologous blood and minocycline pleurodesis: a case report
Abstract
Background Spontaneous pneumothorax in a tuberculosis-induced destroyed lung is uncommon and challenging, particularly when surgery poses prohibitive risk. Practical, non-surgical strategies that reliably control persistent air leak are therefore needed. Case Description A 48-year-old woman with prior pulmonary tuberculosis and a destroyed right lung presented with right-sided pneumothorax. On arrival, she maintained adequate oxygenation on room air and did not require supplemental oxygen. Despite appropriate chest drainage, a persistent air leak continued for more than 2 weeks. Chemical pleurodesis was performed via the chest tube using a combined regimen of minocycline 100 mg diluted in 50 mL normal saline plus 50 mL autologous blood (total instilled volume 100 mL). Because leakage persisted, a second pleurodesis with the same regimen was performed 48 hours later. Within 24 hours after the second procedure, the air leak ceased. Follow-up chest radiography confirmed re-expansion, the chest tube was removed on day 21, and the patient was discharged without complications. Outpatient follow-up at approximately 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months included chest radiographs at the first two visits; no recurrence was observed, and the patient reported satisfactory daily activity without dyspnea beyond baseline. Conclusions In high-risk patients with post-tuberculosis destroyed lung and persistent air leak, combined autologous blood and minocycline pleurodesis can provide effective,…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
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