[Diffuse aspiration bronchiolitis in an elderly woman].
A 74-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of persistent nocturnal coughing and abnormal shadows on chest x-ray films. The films showed cavities in the right upper lobe and small nodular shadows in the right upper, lower, and left upper lung fields. Examination of a specimen obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy showed nonspecific inflammatory changes. An open-lung biopsy was done. Histopathological examination showed evidence of diffuse aspiration bronchiolitis and actinomyces. Actinomyces is a member of the endogenous flora of the oral mucous membranes. Our diagnosis was diffuse aspiration bronchiolitis caused by micro-aspiration of oro-pharyngeal secretions during sleep.
Sugama
I
I
Yonabaru-chuo-Hospital, Japan.
Simoji
K
K
Touyama
M
M
Okudaira
S
S
Yogi
H
H
Hentona
H
H
Takemura
T
T
Saito
A
A
D000196:Actinomycosis; D000368:Aged; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D012463:Saliva; D012890:Sleep