Unilateral pulmonary hyperinflation from mucus check-valve mechanism.
Mucus plugging of a large airway resulted in the formation of a check-valve mechanism and pulmonary hyperinflation, rather than atelectasis. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was both diagnostic and curative. The physician should be aware that mucus plugging may have unusual presentations and may mimic other clinical entities.
D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D001980:Bronchi; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus; D012119:Respiration; D013396:Suction; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation