1/4. Pleural aspergillosis with bronchopleurocutaneous fistula and costal bone destruction: a case report.A 65-year-old man who, when young, had had tuberculosis treated by therapeutic pneumothorax, consulted his family physician for a constitutional syndrome and dyspnea. At this time radiologic studies showed left pleural effusion with bilateral calcified plaques, an infiltrate in the upper left lobe, and a picture compatible with aspergilloma, all suggesting semi-invasive aspergillosis. The patient failed to show up for his followup visit, so no therapy could be started or further diagnostic tests ordered. One month later he was admitted to this hospital for a bronchopleural fistula (empyema necessitatis) with subsequent spontaneous hydropneumothorax and costal bone involvement. The patient underwent surgery because of his rapid worsening condition. biopsy examination revealed a large pleural aspergilloma. Despite immediate antifungal therapy, the patient died. We believe this to be the first report of pleural aspergillus with a bronchopleurocutaneous fistula and costal bone destruction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/4. Simultaneous gastropleural and gastrocolic fistulae in a quadriplegic male.A 56-year-old, quadriplegic man presented to a physician's office with a large, left pleural effusion. He subsequently was found to have a gastropleural and gastrocolic fistula. These two very rare complications of benign peptic ulcer disease are discussed with special reference to patients with profoundly altered sensation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/4. Pleural paragonimiasis in a Southeast asia refugee.We report a Laotian patient with pleural paragonimiasis who did not have the usual diagnostic triad for this parasitic disease. He did not have chronic hemoptysis (considered by many to be an "invariable" finding), there were no pulmonary infiltrations, and stool and sputum examinations did not yield paragonimus ova. The diagnosis was made on the basis of ova found in the pleural fluid. paragonimiasis pleural effusion did not resolve with bithionol, the drug of choice for pulmonary paragonimiasis, and, as a result, chest tube drainage was required. The difference between pleural paragonimiasis and pulmonary paragonimiasis is that the classic clinical presentation of the latter (hemoptysis, ova in sputum and stools, lung infiltration, etc.) requires an intrapulmonary location on the parasite. A search for ova in the pleural fluid may be the only diagnostic tool for patients suspected of pleural paragonimiasis. With the influx of Southeast asia refugees, this case report may be of relevance to U.S. physicians involved in the care of patients in whom not all chronic pleuropulmonary diseases are tuberculous.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/4. hemothorax after Lupron therapy of a patient with pleural endometriosis--a case report and literature review.BACKGROUND--Pulmonary endometrial implants, although uncommon, have been well described in the literature. Symptoms occur with menses and may include recurrent pleuritic chest pain, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, or hemothorax. Exacerbation of pulmonary symptoms by Lupron therapy has not been previously described. CASE REPORT--A 38-year-old African-American female with known endometriosis but no history of pulmonary disease was evaluated for a 2-year history of severe dysmenorrhea. A trial of hormonal suppression was unsuccessful, and she was offered Lupron therapy. Three weeks after its initiation, and shortly after the onset of menses, she came to the emergency room with pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath and was found to have a right-sided hemopneumothorax. Thoracentesis treatment was successful in eliminating this symptom. CONCLUSION--Although pulmonary endometriosis is rare, physicians should be aware that Lupron therapy can exacerbate pulmonary symptoms during the initial phase of therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |