[Effect of surfactant-BL on ventilation and gas exchange function in patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis].

The fact that the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis is a topical problem is beyond question. At present, it is well known that there is dissociation between the time of a negative sputum reaction and later cavernous healing, resolution of inflammatory changes. Therefore, search for new possibilities of pathogenetic action on the course of a tuberculous process, healing of destructive changes, and the maximum recovery of functional disorders are one of the ways of enhancing the efficiency of treatment in patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis. Over 70 years' history of the discovery and studies of the pulmonary surfactant system has made it possible to formulate a current concept of surfactant as a multicomponent system of cellular and non-cellular elements that ensure the antiatelectatic, antiedematous, protective, and other functions of the lung. The effects of surfactant preparations as an agent of pathogenetic therapy are being investigated at the Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The present paper presents the results of changes in external respiratory function and gas exchange before and after surfactant therapy in 64 patients with established drug-resistant infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis. Along with the performed antituberculous therapy, the natural agent Surfactant-BL made in Russia was used by taking into account individual sensitivity. The agent was inhalationally administered in a daily dose of 25 mg by the schedule for 8 weeks.