Search

Abstract Background There are limited series concerning Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus. We describe the clinical presentation of a series of 7 patients diagnosed with Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus and provide information about the pathological diagnosis approach. Patients and methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for massive and unexplained recurrent hemoptysis in a referral center during a 11-year period. Results Seven heavy smoker (49 pack years) patients (5 males) mean aged 54 years experienced a massive hemoptysis (350–1000 ml) unrelated to a known lung disease and frequently recurrent. Bronchial contrast extravasation was observed in 3 patients, combining both CT scan and bronchial arteriography. Efficacy of bronchial artery embolization was achieved in 40% of cases before surgery. Pathological examination demonstrated a minute defect in 3 cases and a large and dysplasic superficial bronchial artery in the submucosa in all cases. Conclusion Dieulafoy disease should be suspected in patients with massive and unexplained episodes of recurrent hemoptysis, in order to avoid hazardous endoscopic biopsies and to alert the pathologist if surgery is performed.

Abstract Background Limited data are available concerning patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for severe haemoptysis. We reviewed a large series of patients managed in a uniform way to describe the clinical spectrum and outcome of haemoptysis in this setting, and better define the indications for bronchial artery embolisation (BAE). Methods A retrospective chart review of 196 patients referred for severe haemoptysis to a respiratory intermediate care ward and ICU between January 1999 and December 2001. A follow-up by telephone interview or a visit. Results Patients (148 males) were aged 51 (± sd, 16) years, with a median cumulated amount of bleeding averaging 200 ml on admission. Bronchiectasis, lung cancer, tuberculosis and mycetoma were the main underlying causes. In 21 patients (11%), no cause was identified. A first-line bronchial arteriography was attempted in 147 patients (75%), whereas 46 (23%) received conservative treatment. Patients who underwent BAE had a higher respiratory rate, greater amount of bleeding, persistent bloody sputum and/or evidence of active bleeding on fiberoptic bronchoscopy. When completed (n = 131/147), BAE controlled haemoptysis in 80% of patients, both in the short and long (> 30 days) terms. Surgery was mostly performed when bronchial arteriography had failed and/or bleeding recurred early after completed BAE. Bleeding was controlled by conservative measures alone in 44 patients. The ICU mortality rate was low (4%). Conclusion Patients with evidence of more severe or persistent haemoptysis were more likely to receive BAE rather than conservative management. The procedure was effective and safe in most patients with severe haemoptysis, and surgery was mostly reserved to failure of arteriography and/or early recurrences after BAE.

Background: There are limited series concerning Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus. We describe the clinical presentation of a series of 7 patients diagnosed with Dieulafoy disease of the bronchus and provide information about the pathological diagnosis approach.Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for massive and unexplained recurrent hemoptysis in a referral center during a 11-year period.Results: Seven heavy smoker (49 pack years) patients (5 males) mean aged 54 years experienced a massive hemoptysis (350-1000 ml) unrelated to a known lung disease and frequently recurrent. Bronchial contrast extravasation was observed in 3 patients, combining both CT scan and bronchial arteriography. Efficacy of bronchial artery embolization was achieved in 40% of cases before surgery. Pathological examination demonstrated a minute defect in 3 cases and a large and dysplasic superficial bronchial artery in the submucosa in all cases.Conclusion: Dieulafoy disease should be suspected in patients with massive and unexplained episodes of recurrent hemoptysis, in order to avoid hazardous endoscopic biopsies and to alert the pathologist if surgery is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apical lung opacity was diagnosed in an asymptomatic 30 year-old woman native of Central African Republic by routine chest X-ray. CT scan demonstrated an excavated pulmonary mass and revealed a simple hepatic cyst. Tuberculosis was suspected but mycobacterial cultures remained negative. Three months later, ultrasonography showed septations within the hepatic lesion suggestive of cystic echinococcosis. The detection of seric anti-Echinococcus antibodies was positive. Hepatic and pulmonary cysts were removed surgically and association with three-month course of albendazole resulted in a favorable outcome. Cystic echinococcosis is exceptional in Central Africa and to our knowledge never reported from the Central African Republic., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Overall survival of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma has dramatically increased in recent years, with an increased rate of malignant complications. We report here a 54-year-old man who presented with concomitant relapse of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma and lung adenocarcinoma 20 years after initial treatment with chemotherapy and mantle radiotherapy. Pathogenic mechanisms of these malignant complications are discussed. A prolonged follow-up of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma is required., (Copyright © 2010 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of MDCT angiography to modify early results in patients undergoing endovascular embolization for hemoptysis., Materials and Methods: A comparative study was performed of two consecutive cohorts with 200 patients each who were treated by endovascular embolization for severe hemoptysis; one cohort underwent MDCT angiography and the other did not, but patients underwent further exploration with global aortography. We compared the two groups for patients' age and sex and for the volume, cause, and mechanisms of hemoptysis. Evaluation included the number of sessions needed to control the hemoptysis, the primary failure of bronchial artery embolization, the recurrence of hemoptysis, pulmonary artery vasoocclusion, urgent surgical resection, and death by massive hemoptysis during hospitalization. Failure was defined as the absence of embolization during the first session. Recurrence was defined as rebleeding despite technically successful bronchial artery embolization., Results: Differences between the groups were statistically significant for patient age (p < 0.05), endovascular treatment failure among patients older than 70 years (p < 0.05), pulmonary artery vasoocclusion in comparison with diagnostic pulmonary artery angiography (p < 0.0001), and urgent surgical resection (p = 0.034)., Conclusion: The impact of MDCT angiography was significant in reducing the rate of vascular catheterization failure in patients older than 70 years, increasing the number of pulmonary artery vasoocclusions, and reducing the number of urgent surgical resection.

Introduction: Good syndrome is characterized by thymoma, hypogammaglobulinemia, low number of peripheral B cells, and variably, peripheral CD4 T cell lymphopenia and inverted CD4/CD8 T cell ratio, associated with infections and autoimmune diseases., Case Report: We report an 85-year-old woman who presented with oral erosive lichen planus and thymic tumor. Improvement of oral erosive lichen planus was observed after resection of a benign thymoma, but was ineffective on the immunodeficiency syndrome. Only 11 patients with Good syndrome and lichen planus have been previously reported and are reviewed., Conclusion: The association of oral erosive lichen planus with Good syndrome is rare, but does not seem to be fortuitous.

Pneumonectomy carries a high-risk for postoperative complications. The aim of the study was to identify factors that may predispose to the development of major postoperative complications after pneumonectomy for lung cancer. All consecutive patients from January 2000 to December 2005 were retrospectively studied. Major postoperative complications were defined by respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, shock, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, myocardial ischaemia or symptomatic cardiac arrhythmia. One hundred and twenty-nine patients were included. The overall hospital mortality rate was 10.8%, and complications occurred in 42.6%. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) class >2 [odds ratio (OR) 8.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.19-36.55] and liberal fluid administration during surgery (OR, 1.96 for each litre; 95% CI, 1.45-3.16) to be risk factor for major cardiopulmonary complication or mortality. Preoperative haemoglobin > or =10 g/dl (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.01-0.91) and low tidal volume administrated during surgery (< or =7.35 ml/kg; OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.10-0.92) were identified as protective factors. Pneumonectomy remains a high-risk surgery. Postoperative complications may be influenced by the comorbidities but also the management of fluid infusion and mechanical ventilation during the surgical procedure.

Background: The role of surgical lung resection in the management of severe hemoptysis has evolved after advances in interventional radiology. We sought to describe the indications for surgical lung resection in such patients and to identify predictive factors of postoperative complications., Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis (May 1995 to July 2006) of consecutive patients referred to the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital for severe hemoptysis who underwent surgical lung resection., Results: Among 813 patients referred for severe hemoptysis, 111 underwent surgical lung resection. Interventional radiology had been first attempted in 87 patients (78%); 68 underwent surgery because of a failed procedure (n = 28) or bleeding persistence or recurrence within 72 hours despite a completed procedure (n = 40); 19 patients underwent surgery after bleeding control. The remaining 24 patients (22%) were directly referred to the surgeon (5 for emergency surgery). Overall, surgery was performed in emergency (n = 48), scheduled after bleeding control (n = 48), or planned after discharge (n = 15). The main indications for surgery were mycetoma, cancer, bronchiectasis, and active tuberculosis. Surgery for mycetoma (odds ratio, 9.4; 95% confidence interval, 2.8 to 32), emergency surgery (odds ratio, 5.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.8 to 16), and pneumonectomy (odds ratio, 4.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 18) independently predicted complications. Fifteen patients died in the intensive care unit, of whom 14 underwent emergency surgery. Chronic alcoholism (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 19), the need for mechanical ventilation or vasoactive drugs on admission (odds ratio, 8.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.9 to 35), and blood transfusion before surgery (odds ratio, 8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 42) predicted mortality., Conclusions: Attempting at controlling bleeding with first-line nonsurgical approaches appears necessary to optimize the operative conditions and improve outcome of patients with severe hemoptysis.

As first line chemotherapy Bevacizumab, associated with a platinum based regime, improves survival in patients with metastatic, non small cell, non epidermoid bronchial carcinoma. Marketing authorization for this indication was obtained in 2007. This treatment produces specific secondary effects related to its anti-angiogenic action. Physiologically, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important in the process of scar formation. Bevacizumab inhibits scar formation and may encourage bleeding. The aim of this article is to analyse the specific risks associated with invasive procedures and to produce practical recommendations. Unfortunately there are few data in the literature. We depend, therefore, principally on studies of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in metastatic colo-rectal cancer prior to excision of hepatic metastases and on our own experience of excision of pulmonary metastases from solid tumours treated with bevacizumab. We recommend a delay of 2 days between implantation of an intravenous device and the initiation of bevacizumab, a delay of at least 5 weeks between the last injection of bevacizumab and invasive surgery and a delay of 4 weeks between surgery and the initiation of bevacizumab treatment. Obviously, referral to a medico-surgical team experienced in the management of these patients is strongly recommended.

Introduction: In a patient with basal alveolar shadowing the diagnosis of exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) requires a past history of chronic ingestion of liquid paraffin and the presence of numerous macrophages containing oil droplets in the bronchial lavage (BL). Additional radiological abnormalities suggest an associated disease, notably infection or cancer, as has been described in the literature., Case Report: We report the case of a 50 year old woman presenting with alveolar shadowing in the left lung associated with ipsilateral mediastinal nodes and a pleural effusion in addition to two hepatic nodules. As the diagnosis of ELP did not explain the radiological features a thoracotomy and liver biopsies were performed. Histological examination of the hepatic, pulmonary and lymph node biopsies excluded cancer and mycobacterial disease and showed a florid granulomatous foreign body reaction associated with pulmonary and hepatic sarcoidosis. After a 3 month course of oral corticosteroids the mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion and hepatic nodules resolved. The patient has maintained her recovery without further treatment for 4 years., Conclusion: The final diagnosis was ELP and systemic sarcoidosis with nodular hepatic involvement.