1. Chyloperitoneum, chylothorax and lower extremity lymphedema in woman with sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis successfully treated with sirolimus: a case report.
- Author
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Chachaj A, Drozdz K, Chabowski M, Dziegiel P, Grzegorek I, Wojnar A, Jazwiec P, and Szuba A
- Subjects
- Chylothorax diagnosis, Chylous Ascites diagnosis, Female, Humans, Leg, Lymphedema diagnosis, Middle Aged, Prognosis, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Chylothorax drug therapy, Chylous Ascites drug therapy, Immunosuppressive Agents therapeutic use, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis drug therapy, Lymphedema drug therapy, Sirolimus therapeutic use
- Abstract
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease characterized by diffuse thin-walled cysts throughout the lungs on computed tomography and diffuse proliferation of abnormal smooth muscle-like cells (LAM cells) on lung biopsy. LAM affects women almost exclusively, predominantly in their reproductive age. The most typical presenting symptoms include dyspnea, spontaneous pneumothorax, cough and chylothorax. Abdominal findings represent less common initial manifestations of the disease and may pose diagnostic difficulties. The treatment of LAM has not been fully established. Recent studies report effectiveness of sirolimus in LAM patients. We report the case of a 45-year-old woman with sporadic LAM, successfully treated with sirolimus, in whom the first manifestation of the disease was chyloperitoneum and after three and nine years, respectively, lymphedema of the left lower extremity and right sided chylothorax occurred.
- Published
- 2012