• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.343-347
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• 1992

Background: There are several causes that the total destruction of unilateral lung can occur. Pulmonary tuberculosis of these causes may lead to destruction through chronic inflammation and fibrosis. In such circumstances, the left to right ratio is supposed to be different. We performed the study with 224 cases for total destruction of unilateral lung, who were admitted at National Kongju Tuberculosis Hospital for recent 4 years. Method: On admission chest film, radiologic pattern was classified into 4 types. And we analyzed patients' age, sex, duration of illness, sputum AFB smear and culture. Result: 1) The male to female ratio was 2:1 and 74% of the patients were between 31 and 60 years of age. 2) One hundred and ninety eight cases(88%) had the duration of illness over 3 years. Namely, most of patients had long history. 3) Sputum AFB smear and/or culture were positive mostly (80%). 4) As for the radiologic pattern, 181 cases (81%) had the total destroyed lung in left and partial lesion in right lung, 31 cases (14%) total destroyed lung in right and partial lesion in left lung, 11 cases (5%) total destroyed lung in left only, and 1 case total destroyed lung in right only. 5) In the radiologic pattern, there is no significant difference in terms of age, sex, duration of illness and sputum examination. Conclusion: From these results, we found that the total destruction of unilateral lung in pulmonary tuberculosis occurred generally in the left side.