Bronchial atresia with relapsing pulmonary infection in a middle-aged man.
Congenital bronchial atresia (CBA) is a rare disorder, first reported in 1953. Less than 100 cases are reported in the literature, mostly in young, asymptomatic male patients with involvement of the apical-posterior segment of the left upper lobe. Patients may complain of fever, cough, or shortness of breath, symptoms that result from post-obstructive, sometimes recurrent, infections. Chest radiography and computed tomography reveal a tubular branching density representing mucus impaction or mucocele with surrounding focal hyperinflation. Surgical excision is reserved for symptomatic cases. We report an unusual case of CBA in a middle-aged man with a history of relapsing infections, who was found to have an atretic superior segment of the left lower lobe, with surrounding areas of organizing pneumonia.
Nordstrom
C R
CR
Division of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care, MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kane
G C
GC
Wechsler
R J
RJ
Salazar
A M
AM
Cohn
H E
HE
Farber
J L
JL
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D001980:Bronchi / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents