Adjunctive surgery versus medical treatment among patients with cavitary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Objectives: Surgical resection is recommended as adjunctive treatment for multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) in certain scenarios; however, data are limited. We sought to evaluate the impact of surgery by comparing TB outcomes among patients with cavitary disease who received medical versus combined medical and surgical treatment.

Methods: A cohort of all patients with cavitary MDR or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB treated in Tbilisi, Georgia, between 2008 and 2012.