Case Reports in Pulmonology

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by uncontrolled progressive lung fibrosis with a median survival of 3 to 5 years. Although currently available pharmacotherapy cannot cure the disease, antifibrotics including pirfenidone and nintedanib were shown to slow disease progression and improve survival in IPF. Nevertheless, there is a knowledge gap on the safety of antifibrotics in patients after liver transplantation receiving concomitant immunosuppressive therapy. This case report of a 68-year-old male patient with IPF illustrates how a complex medical history has led to diagnostic and therapeutic challenges considerably affecting clinical decisions and impacting the patient's journey...

Tunneled indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are frequently used to palliate symptomatic dyspnea due to recurrent pleural effusions. The drainage valve of IPCs is an important component of the catheter as fracture of the valve leads to malfunctioning of the IPCs. Replacement of the catheter includes risks such as pain, infection, pneumothorax, and procedure cost. We report two cases of malfunctioning tunneled IPC drainage valves repaired by our noninvasive method and discuss the need for a repair kit and a standardized approach to this repair in case of nonavailability of repair kits...

Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) is remarkably rare with a reported prevalence from 0.13 per 100,000 children under 17 years to 16.2 per 100,000 children under 15 years of age (Kornum et al., 2008). Here, we present a case of a 15-year-old with subacute hypoxemic respiratory failure, admitted to the critical care unit. Her imaging on admission showed bilateral interstitial infiltrates; her laboratory workup, including autoimmune serologies, was unrevealing. A bronchoscopy revealed the diagnosis of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia...

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus that is classically associated with pneumonia in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). However, this infection is now more commonly seen in those with malignancy, particularly lymphoproliferative disorders. Classic image findings with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) include bilateral ground-glass opacities with or without cyst formation. Up to 5% of patients with PJP may present with atypical image findings, specifically nodular opacities or masses thought to represent granulomatous inflammation...

Pneumomediastinum is free air within the mediastinal cavity which can spread along tissue planes leading to the accumulation of large amounts of subcutaneous emphysema. Patient is a 21-year-old male with a history of autism spectrum disorder and rhabdomyolysis who presented with diffuse "popping under the skin" and was found to have crepitus extending from his neck to his bilateral ankles. He exercises frequently and performs chin-up pullovers and will often hold his breath during this movements. He uses an inversion table but denies any valsalva maneuvers or straining while inverted...

Glioblastoma is a common primary brain tumor that has a high mortality rate. Reports of intrathoracic metastases are uncommon, with the most commonly reported site for metastases are the lung and pleura. However, involvement of the mediastinum is not well documented, and few reports of confirmed mediastinal metastases diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) exist. Herein, we report a rare case of metastatic glioblastoma to the thorax. A lady in her 40s has been previously diagnosed with intracranial glioblastoma with multiple incidences of disease recurrence despite treatment with chemoradiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, and repeated surgical resections...

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is an uncommon condition characterized by airway hypersensitivity to Aspergillus fumigatus, resulting in worsening asthma control and bronchiectasis progression. It is associated with various radiological features. Here, we describe a 53-year-old lady with atypical CT chest finding as soft tissue density masses in both lungs evaluated initially as a lung tumour. The diagnosis was particularly challenging given the history of undiagnosed asthma. Nevertheless, bronchoscopy findings of mucus impaction and blood eosinophilia redirect the clinical thinking toward ABPA...

Calcified bilateral mediastinal lymph nodes are not common in malignant tumors. A 51-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 20 mm nodule in the lower left lobe of the lung and extensive calcification in the bilateral mediastinal lymph nodes. Computed tomography indicated no calcification of the primary lesion. Immunohistochemical staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization detected an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion. Treatment with alectinib, an ALK inhibitor, led to a significant reduction in tumor size and calcification in the lymph nodes...

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary actinomycosis (PA) is a rare and ubiquitous bacterial disorder, combining subacute or chronic focal suppuration and an expansive fibrogranulomatous lesion. Lung involvement is rare. The radioclinical manifestations of this infection are polymorphic and confusing. The form revealed by a solitary pulmonary nodule is exceptional and not documented in the literature. Case Presentation . We report a case of a 71-year-old patient, 25-year package smoker, revealed by repeated moderate-abundance hemoptysis with a rare radiological image: in the form of a solitary pulmonary nodule located at the left chest base...

A chronic expanding hematoma is a rare late complication of thoracoplasty for tuberculosis, before the development of drugs. Total resection of a chronic expanding hematoma often requires invasive surgery consisting of combined resection of the lung and chest wall, accompanied by intraoperative bleeding. We report a case of successful surgical resection of a chronic expanding hematoma with preoperative arterial embolization, 48 years after extraperiosteal paraffin plombage for pulmonary tuberculosis. The operative indication or procedure for a chronic expanding hematoma should be determined carefully, and preoperative preparations as well as strategies should be elaborated for safe surgical resection...

Purpose: We report the development of a lung abscess caused by a ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a patient with COVID-19 on long-term corticosteroid therapy. Successful antimicrobial treatment included the novel oral fluoroquinolone delafloxacin suggesting an oral administration option for ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung abscess. Case Presentation. An 86-year-old male was admitted to the hospital with fever, dry cough, and fatigue. PCR testing from a nasopharyngeal swab confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection...

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are heterogeneous in their clinical presentation. Making a differential diagnosis of ILD requires a thorough medical history, clinical examination, serologies, high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan, and, in some cases, bronchoalveolar lavage or surgical lung biopsy. Multidisciplinary discussion is recommended to improve diagnostic confidence. ILDs have a variable and unpredictable clinical course. Patients should be closely monitored to ensure that progression of ILD is detected promptly...

We present the case of a 61-year-old male who developed persistent hiccups concurrently with the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF). The hiccups were refractory to traditional treatment but resolved immediately upon electrical cardioversion (ECV) to normal sinus rhythm (NSR). The patient has remained in NSR and free of hiccups. The potential etiologies for hiccups are numerous and varied, and the management of persistent hiccups can be difficult. Cardiac associations including myocardial infarction and pericarditis have been described, while few cases of first-time onset of atrial fibrillation leading to hiccups have been documented...

Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) is an atypical pulmonary disorder with limited understanding. Given the rare nature of this disease, it is essential to obtain adequate tissue pathology to confirm the diagnosis. This disease is mainly diagnosed in middle-aged, nonsmoking females, and it is now accepted as a precursor lesion to pulmonary carcinoid tumors. DIPNECH presents with characteristic radiographic and histologic findings, but its diagnosis, management, and prognosis are often underrecognized and poorly understood...

Introduction . Legionella is a frequent cause of bacterial pneumonia in patients with AIDS. While multiple organisms have been associated with cavitary pneumonia in this population, Legionella has not. Clinical Case . A middle-aged woman with HIV-AIDS and severely depressed CD-4 count presented with one month of progressively worsening productive cough and dyspnea. Serial imaging showed focal consolidations which multiplied and cavitated over the subsequent days. Legionella urine antigen was positive, and appropriate treatment was continued for 3 weeks total...

Pulmonary mycotic pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of bacteremia with high associated mortality. We present a case of a large proximal pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm as a result of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, originating from a tunneled dialysis catheter infection. This case was ultimately managed conservatively with surveillance imaging and a prolonged intravenous antibiotic course, rather than with surgical or interventional management. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a mycotic pulmonary pseudoaneurysm due to septic embolization of an infected superior vena cava thrombus...

The coexistence of expiratory central airway collapse and diaphragmatic paralysis presents a diagnostic and treatment challenge. Both entities are underrecognized causes of dyspnea, cough, sputum production, and orthopnea. Optimal treatment must be individualized and is best achieved by a multidisciplinary team. We present a case of a patient with profound functional impairment from dyspnea and hypoxemia due to expiratory central airway collapse, complicated by bronchiectasis from recurrent respiratory infections, and diaphragmatic paralysis...

Fewer than ten reported cases of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) have been managed with intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg). We report a case of a 72-year-old man who presented with a worsening cough and diffuse opacities on chest radiograph. Following no improvement with antibiotics and negative complementary investigations for infectious, malignant, and autoimmune etiologies, COP was confirmed on lung biopsy. Due to continued clinical deterioration despite high-dose steroids and new severe steroid-induced hallucinations, the patient was placed on intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and mycophenolate mofetil and made a satisfactory recovery...

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare intrathoracic malignancy, which arises from the lung parenchyma and/or pleura. PPB has strong genetic association with mutations in DICER1 gene. Despite being rare, PPB is the most common lung tumor in children below 6 years of age. International registry of the disease has a total of 350 cases worldwide. We report the first case of PPB in the state of Qatar, which presented as a large cystic lung lesion. The patient was first thought to have benign congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) based on chest X-ray findings...

Intrapleural thrombolytics have shown promising results in complicated parapneumonic pleural effusions reducing the need for surgical interventions. Until now, studies have evaluated primarily streptokinase, urokinase, and recently, alteplase. In this case series, we share our experience with tenecteplase-a tissue-specific plasminogen activator in 15 patients. We observed that tenecteplase is effective in 14/15 (93.3%) of our patients, and none of them had any bleeding episodes.