Pulmonary wedge aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of recurrent tumour embolism causing pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Recurrent subacute pulmonary embolism leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension is an uncommon presentation of malignancy. We describe one such patient who presented to us with features of pre-capillary pulmonary arterial hypertension. A novel yet simple technique, involving pulmonary wedge aspiration cytology, provided the tissue diagnosis of trophoblastic malignancy, thus enabling prompt institution of chemotherapy and consequent impressive clinical improvement. This technique appears to be a hitherto unreported indication for intravascular catheterisation in the diagnostic work up of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Department of Cardiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
J S
JS
Bhuvaneswaran
C G
CG
Venkitachalam
S
S
Sandhyamani
D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012008:Recurrence; D014328:Trophoblastic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*