Tuberculous empyema necessitans: Case report of a rare occurrence

Abstract

Empyema necessitans is a rare condition where tuberculosis is the most common cause. It can be found in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, especially in endemic areas. We report a case of a 29-year-old male from North Africa, with an enlarging mass on the right thoracic wall. Imaging, particularly CT showed a cystic lesion in the right chest wall communicating with homolateral pleural effusion, compatible with empyema necessitans. It also showed patterns of pulmonary tuberculosis in the right upper lung. Treatment of empyema necessitans is a combination of medical and surgicaltreatment. Our patient underwent a surgical treatment consisting of flattening of the empyema with a Gene X-pert study of the fluid and the shell, followed by an anti-TB treatment. Anatomopathology confirmed the diagnosis of caseo-follicular tuberculosis.

Keywords

• Empyema
• Tuberculosis
• CT
• Gene X-pert