Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is an obligate aerobic microbe. Tuberculosis is a multisystemic disease that can attack the respiratory system, genitourinary system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and the skeletal framework of the body. However, the most commonly affected system is the respiratory system (pulmonary tuberculosis). Tuberculosis is an ancient infection that affects millions of people every year, and even after adequate treatment, it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which can be attributed to reinfections, complications, extrapulmonary spread, and the long-term effects of tuberculosis on the lungs, leading to various restrictive and obstructive diseases. One of the most hazardous sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis is the destroyed lung, which is predominately seen in the culminating stage of progressive disease or after reactivation of the disease. Here we present the case of a 46-year-old female patient who presented with complaints of breathlessness, cough with expectoration, and chest pain. With a history of recurrent tuberculosis infections and appropriate antituberculosis treatment for 30 years, the primary infection was recognized at 16 years of age. On examination, the patient was suspected to have developed fibrosis of the left lung, which, on radiological investigation, was confirmed to be a case of a destroyed left lung because of a recurrent tuberculosis infection. The patient was given symptomatic treatment along with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy.
Keywords: conservative treatment; detroyed lungs; pneumonectomy; pulmonary arterial hypertension; pulmonary tuberculosis.
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