The utility of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial washings obtained in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis in a high prevalence setting.

Background: Xpert MTB/RIF has been shown to have a superior sensitivity to microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum and has been recommended as a standard first line investigation for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Bronchoscopy is a valuable tool in diagnosing PTB in sputum negative patients. There is limited data on the utility of Xpert MTB/RIF performed on bronchial lavage specimens.

The utility of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and pleural biopsy in undiagnosed pleural exudates.

We assessed the utility of ultrasound to guide the selection of closed pleural biopsy technique and site and to assess the respective contributions of repeat thoracentesis and closed pleural biopsy in 100 consecutive patients with undiagnosed pleural exudates. Thoracentesis was more likely to be diagnostic in TB than malignancy (77.8% vs 31.

A 54-year-old man referred with nonresolving pneumonia.

A 54-year-old man was referred with nonresolving pneumonia. He had been treated for community-acquired pneumonia 6 weeks earlier. He reported grade 2 dyspnea, malaise, and a nonproductive cough.

Endobronchial valves in the management of recurrent haemoptysis.

Minimally invasive treatment modalities for life-threatening haemoptysis in patients unresponsive to medical interventions and/or in patients deemed functionally inoperable are limited. We describe the implantation of endobronchial valves in a patient with recurrent haemoptysis, which presents both a novel indication for the use of these devices and a novel intervention for haemoptysis. Our patient is a 30-year-old male who developed bilateral upper lobe aspergillomata following previous pulmonary tuberculosis.