A Case of Tuberculous Pleural Effusion Developed after Percutaneous Needle Biopsy of a Solitary Pulmonary Nodule

A tuberculous pleural effusion may be a sequel to a primary infection or represent the reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis. It is believed to result from a rupture of a subp leural caseous focus in the lung into the pleural space. It appears that delayed hypersensitivity plays a large role in the pathogenesis of a tuberculous pleural effusion. We encountered a 52 years old man with pleural effusion that developed several days after a CT guided percutaneous needle biopsy of a solitary pulmonary nodule. He was diagnosed with TB pleurisy. It is believed that his pleural effusion probably developed due to exposure of the parenchymal tuberculous focus into the pleural space during the percutaneous needle biopsy. This case might suggest one of the possible pathogeneses of tuberculous pleural effusion. (Tuberc Respir Dis 2007; 63: 268-272)