1/170. Potential association between calcified thoracic lymphadenopathy due to previous histoplasma capsulatum infection and pulmonary mycobacterium avium complex disease.BACKGROUND: Among patients with pulmonary disease due to mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) seen recently at our center, a substantial number have had extensive calcified mediastinal, hilar, and peribronchial lymphadenopathy, a finding historically inconsistent with pulmonary MAC disease. METHOD: We retrospectively studied the frequency of calcified lymphadenopathy in the chest and prevalence of known risk factors for MAC infection in 79 patients with pulmonary MAC disease who were referred to our hospital over a 1-year period. RESULTS: Calcified intrathoracic adenopathy was present in 25 of the 79 patients (32%). Residential histories revealed that 20 of the 25 patients (80%) with such calcified chest adenopathy reported living for substantial periods in the regions indigenous for histoplasma capsulatum. In contrast, the residences of patients without calcified chest adenopathy were more evenly distributed throughout the country. Nineteen of these 25 patients (76%) with calcified chest adenopathy had no known predisposing risk factor for the infection; in contrast, the proportion of patients with no calcified adenopathy who also had no identifiable classic risk factor tended to be lower (32/54, 59%). CONCLUSION: In this retrospective study, we observed that (1) a large number of patients with pulmonary MAC disease had no identifiable risk factor, (2) calcified chest adenopathy was present in one third of the patients, (3) the residential history of those with calcified adenopathy mirrored the endemic region of histoplasmosis, and, (4) conversely, those patients with pulmonary MAC who lived outside the histoplasmosis belt had no such adenopathy. Thus, we hypothesize that previous fungal infection may predispose the lungs of certain patients to subsequent invasion by MAC, presumably by airway distortion and/or parenchymal damage.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/170. Developing bronchial fistulas as a late complication of extraperiosteal plombage.A 65-year-old male, who underwent extraperiosteal plombage for pulmonary tuberculosis 46 years ago, was referred to our hospital due to relapsing hemosputa and pneumonia. A chest computed tomography scan revealed a bronchial fistula and a fluid collection in one Lucite ball. On May 20, 1996, a right-anterior thoracotomy was performed in a supine position. Five Lucite balls were removed, and the empyema space was tightly filled with an omental pedicle flap. Although the bronchial fistulas were not sutured directly, the air leakage from the drainage tube ceased 12 days later. Two years postoperatively the patient has remained well. Our simple approach of combining an anterior thoracotomy and replacement of an empyema space with an omental pedicle flap in the same posture, without closing bronchial fistulas, would be an easy procedure, and therefore exploitable in patients who have a similar problem.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/170. Tuberculosis on the flight deck.Tuberculosis in commercial aircraft has been a concern since a 1995 incident of possible transmission from an active case of tuberculosis to passengers in the cabin of a 747. Subsequently, commercial air carriers have been vigilant in cooperating with public health authorities in tracking all known exposures to tuberculosis. In 1998, a pilot of a commercial airliner was diagnosed with active tuberculosis. Company records demonstrated that in the previous 6 mo, the pilot had flown with 48 other pilots. Every exposed pilot was contacted and evaluated by skin testing (IPPD) or chest x-ray if previously positive. There were no skin test conversions and no changes on x-rays. This study demonstrates that transmission of tuberculosis in the aircraft cabin environment, even under close and continuous exposure to an active case, is a rare event.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/170. Acute respiratory distress syndrome due to tuberculosis in a child after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.We report the occurrence of tuberculosis in a 10-year-old Taiwanese boy, approximately 4 months after he received a matched-related bone marrow transplantation from his sister for acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. After transplantation, grade III acute graft-versus-host disease developed and the patient was treated with prednisolone and cyclosporine. Marrow failure was noted on day 77 post-transplantation, however, after an episode of herpes zoster infection. Interstitial pneumonia, diagnosed on the basis of chest x-ray and computed tomography findings, occurred on day 120. Histologic examination of an open-lung biopsy specimen showed caseating granulomas and a few acid-fast bacilli. The patient died of acute respiratory distress syndrome, despite immediate implementation of antituberculosis therapy. sputum cultures grew mycobacterium tuberculosis 5 weeks later. This report demonstrates that the possibility of tuberculosis needs to be considered in immunocompromised patients, and that appropriate prophylaxis should be instituted in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/170. pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital.pneumocystis carinii is recognized as one of the leading causes of death in AIDS patients in developed countries but its role in this regard in developing countries appears to be less prominent. Sub-Saharan African countries, in spite of their high hiv prevalence, have hardly recorded any cases. We report the first microbiologically proven case of PCP in an adult patient at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. A 37 year old African woman was referred to Ga-Rankuwa Hospital from the local clinic for chest infection with a non productive cough that had not responded to conventional treatment. On admission, she was febrile, emaciated and in respiratory distress with oral thrush. Chest radiography showed diffuse bilateral infiltrations and a preliminary diagnosis of atypical pneumonia and tuberculosis was made. The patient was begun on penicillin, gentamicin, contrimoxazole and anti-tuberculosis therapy. Laboratory investigations revealed a low haemoglobin, positive hiv test (after counselling) and pneumocystis carinii trophozoites and cytes in the bronchoalveolar larvage specimen. In spite of appropriate treatment the patient died within three days. One wonders whether the outcome for this middle aged woman with advanced hiv infection would have been different had appropriate cotrimoxazole therapy been administered at the primary health care centre. It must be noted that PCP may no longer be a rare disease in sub-Saharan countries and intensive investigations should be carried out to avoid losing patients with treatable infectious diseases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/170. The patient who could not be discharged. How far should patient autonomy extend?A male patient was admitted to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) unit for hemodialysis. His history revealed that he was homeless and that he had tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (hiv ). He also had a history of alcohol and intravenous drug abuse and tuberculosis. Based on the results of a chest X-ray, he was placed in respiratory isolation. During the next few days of his hospitalization, he exhibited nonadherent behavior toward the treatment regime. Because of previous verbal and physical abuse to staff and patients, all local hemodialysis centers refused to accept him as a patient. Thus, he became a patient who seemingly could never be discharged. A discussion related to the theoretical and practical scope of patient autonomy, institutional altruism vs. institutional self-interest, and the need for social policy to facilitate a just and humane resolution to this ethical situation is presented here.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/170. Reconstruction of upper chest wall defects with a function-preserving pectoralis major muscle flap: case report.The pectoralis major muscle or myocutaneous flap has a nearly 100% success rate in reconstructing chest wall defects. Major adverse sequelae resulting from the use of the pectoralis major muscle or myocutaneous flap are rarely reported in the literature. However, the loss of pectoralis major muscle function caused by the detachment of the muscle from its insertion on the humeral bone is of more and more concern. This is a significant loss for manual laborers when the patient tries to handle tools or control heavy machinery. A case of upper sternal osteomyelitis is reported. After wide debridement with partial excision of the sternum, the second and third ribs, the right pleura, and the lung were exposed. A right unilateral pectoralis major muscle flap was transposed to restore the defect. In addition, to preserve the lateral portion of the muscle and its insertion on the humerus, the origin of the lower sternocostal part of the pectoralis major muscle was transposed to the medial clavicle and residual upper sternum. In this way, not only was the chest wall defect reconstructed but the function of the residual pectoralis major muscle was also preserved. Postoperative follow-up at one year demonstrated no arm weakness, no limitation in shoulder range of motion, and no evidence of atrophy of the transposed pectoralis major muscle. Our experience with this function-preserving pectoralis major muscle flap was encouraging and we suggest it be employed in the reconstruction of the upper anterior chest wall.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.4keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/170. Discrepancy between Ga-67 citrate and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic scans in pulmonary infection.The authors describe a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who had active pulmonary tuberculosis and was receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment. High-grade fever and a right-sided pleural effusion had recently developed. Results of a Ga-67 scan were negative for any focal infection in the chest. fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed increased uptake in the right lower lung field, which correlated with the diagnosis of concomitant bacterial pneumonia. Anti-tuberculosis treatment can decrease the sensitivity of the Ga-67 scan and could have contributed to this discrepancy. The authors predict that the fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic scan will play an important diagnostic role in the management of such a selected group of patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/170. Fatal tuberculosis in young children.Three young children with advanced cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis died between 1974 and 1978. Two of the patients had tuberculous meningitis as well. All diagnoses were verified at autopsy; however, all tuberculin skin tests were negative. These instances emphasize the difficulty of establishing the diagnosis of tuberculosis in young children. Tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cavitary chest disease in young children, even those with negative tuberculin skin tests.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/170. Tuberculosis exposure in a day-care center: recommended management.BACKGROUND: This article describes the contact investigation, clinical evaluation, and prophylactic treatment of the children and staff members in a day-care center after exposure to a teaching assistant with tuberculosis (TB). methods: The investigation included baseline and follow-up tuberculin skin testing, history and physical examinations, and chest radiographs. Directly observed prophylactic therapy with isoniazid was recommended for all exposed children with a negative evaluation and all children with positive skin test reactions and normal chest radiographs. Treatment was discontinued in children with negative skin test results at follow-up. adult staff members were screened with baseline and follow-up skin tests and were referred for chest radiographs if skin test reactions were positive. RESULTS: In 3 of the 141 exposed children and 3 of the 41 adult staff members, tuberculin skin tests yielded positive results. No active TB disease was found. CONCLUSIONS: isoniazid prophylaxis, administered by directly observed prophylactic therapy in the children, was effectively administered and tolerated in the day-care setting.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.6keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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