THE MODERN MEDICAL TREATMENT OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS*

  1. MAURICE J. SMALL, M.D., F.A.C.P.

    Excerpt

    In a discussion of the modern medical treatment of tuberculosis it should be pointed out at the start that this treatment is still very young and that there are still many unanswered problems which are being actively investigated. Streptomycin (SM) did not come into general use until late 1947, para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) in 1949, and iso-nicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) in 1952, and the concept of long-term chemotherapy with these drugs is quite new and its final evaluation far from complete. This discussion will therefore attempt to summarize what is currently accepted by the best authorities in the medical treatment of

    This 100-word excerpt has been provided in the absence of an abstract.

    Summario in Interlingua

    Con pauc exceptiones, omne caso active de tuberculosis pulmonar merita un longe ininterrumpite curso de chimotherapia combinate. Le factos nunc cognoscite pare indicar que del puncto de vista tractamental il non importa si on usa un regime de (1) streptomycina plus acido para-aminosalicylic o (2) hydrazido de acido iso-nicotinic plus acido para-aminosalicylic o (3) streptomycina plus hydrazido de acido iso-nicotinic. Nonobstante, del puncto de vista practic il existe un bon ration pro non usar streptomycina plus hydrazido de acido iso-nicotinic como regime del tractamento initial. Le disveloppamento de resistentia a iste duo drogas eliminarea ab le subsequente utilisation therapeutic duo del plus efficace agentes nunc disponibile. Nulle avantage pare resultar del utilisation simultanee de omne le tres drogas mentionate, excepte in le tractamento de tuberculosis miliar o meningeal, e le necessitate de utilisar le tres drogas assi in iste grave conditiones ha essite questionate.

    Le duration optimal del regimes chimotherapeutic se trova sub investigation active. Al presente le practica currente utilisa le therapia antimicrobial usque a inter 6 e 12 menses post le attingimento del stato inactive, e iste methodo pare obtener melior resultatos a longe durantia que le relativemente breve cursos de chimotherapia que esseva in uso in le passato.

    Cavitates que persiste in le curso del chimotherapia deberea esser attaccate per resection o collapso, sin reguardo al stato bacteriologie del patiente. Quanto al casos de remanente focos non-cavitari solide, le question del meritos comparative de resection e de therapia a drogas sin chirurgia es le thema de studios controlate. Al tempore presente on favori le resection de remanente focos solide si illos es in ulle senso de dimensiones considerabile. Iste attitude es basate principalmente super le factos (1) que on ha demonstrate le existentia de patente bronchos ducente a tal focos e (2) que le prolongate incubation in appropriate medios ha demonstrate le existentia in tal lesiones de viabile bacillos tubercular. On es generalmente de accordo que focos solide con diametros de plus que 2 cm representa un grave causa potential de relapso si illos non es subj kite al resection.

    Pneumothorace ha essite abandonate plus o minus completemente proque illo involve un marcate sacrificio de capacitate pulmonar in le tractamento de un typo de lesion que es generalmente plus facile a attaccar per medio de un resection localisate. Pneumoperitoneo es ancora in extense favor, sed multe experite phthisiologos questiona su ultime valor como methodo collapsional.

    Le rolo de allectamento in le tractation de tuberculosis pulmonar durante un efficace regime de chimotherapia se trova sub studio critic. In general on opina que le allectamento es clarmente de valor durante le prime acute e toxic phases del morbo e probabilemente durante le phase del active resolution de infiltrationes. Del altere latere, relative al periodo post le attingimento de alicun grado de stabilitate on ha seriemente questionate le necessitate de prolongate periodos de stricte allectamento. Le duration general del stricte allectamento ha essite marcatemente abbreviate depost le utilisation de prolongate cursos de chimotherapia.

    Il ha essite demonstrate que lesiones tuberculotic pote apparer, progreder, e resultar in cavitates durante un non-interrumpite curso de chimotherapia. Iste facto—insimul con datos colligite in re programmas therapeutic instituite per le Statounitese Departimento de Sanitate pro patientes visitante—deberea sufficer pro inseniar a nos un satis pronunciate conservatismo verso le crescente popularitate de chimotherapia ambulatori.

    Article and Author Information

    • * Received for publication March 14, 1955.

    • From the Tuberculosis Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, East Orange, New Jersey. Presented by invitation at the Symposium on Chronic Pulmonary Disease on November 11, 1954, sponsored by the Medical Society of the County of Queens, Queens County Chapter, Academy of General Practice and the Queensboro Tuberculosis and Health Association.

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