[Tuberculosis of intrathoracic lymph nodes in children and adolescents: diagnosis and surgical treatment].

A hundred and seven children and adolescents with intrathoracic lymph node (LTLN) tuberculosis were operated on. Late diagnosis and long-term ineffective antituberculous therapy lead to the development of complicated forms of ITLN tuberculosis in 44% of children. Computed tomography significantly determines extent, localization, the state of the adjacent tissue, and the phase of a tuberculous process, evaluates the efficiency of antituberculosis therapy, and ascertains the optimum time of a surgical intervention. Surgical removal of the involved ITLN is a highly effective operation causing the minimum number of complications. Bilateral successive one-stage removal of the involved lymph nodes is possible in children with bilateral ITLN tuberculosis.