PNEUMONECTOMY, or resection of the diseased lung, in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in adults is now an accepted procedure, although indications for its employment remain controversial. While pneumonectomies have been performed in children, mainly for bronchiectasis, we were unable to find, in a review of the literature, cases of pulmonary tuberculosis treated in this manner. There are, however, brief references to lobectomies in the treatment of this disease in persons in the growing age period, with apparent success.1
As the disease in children usually does not progress to the stage that makes this form of therapy necessary, reports can be presented on only 4 patients in whom pneumonectomy was performed since November 1946 for pulmonary tuberculosis. The children ranged in age from 3 to 13 years at the time of operation.
The operation in children presents problems not encountered in adults. Obliteration of the residual "dead space" created