1. Late-onset pneumothorax in a COVID-19 patient treated with ventilation and ECMO: A case report and literature review
- Author
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Toshihiro Horii, M.D., Tomoyuki Fujioka, M.D., Ph.D., Marie Takahashi, M.D., Mio Mori, M.D., Ph.D., Junichi Tsuchiya, M.D., Ph.D., Emi Yamaga, M.D., Ph.D., Hirofumi Yamada, M.D., Mizuki Kimura, Mitsuhiro Kishino, M.D., Ph.D., and Ukihide Tateishi, M.D., Ph.D.
- Subjects
Chest imaging ,Computed tomography ,COVID-19 ,Pneumothorax ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine ,R895-920 - Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major threat to public health since the outbreak in Wuhan in 2019. Chest computed tomography is recommended for COVID-19 cases for evaluation and follow up of pneumonia and related complication. We report the case of a 66-year-old man with underlying hypertension and a history of smoking 76 packs a year; he was frequently monitored by computed tomography for pulmonary changes during the period from early symptom onset to death. Furthermore, he developed a pneumothorax during the course. The occurrence of pneumothorax in COVID-19 patients is not common, and there have been only a few previous reports. This is a valuable case of pneumothorax in a patient with COVID-19 treated with a ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This case and previous reports suggest that pneumothorax occurs in COVID-19 with a relatively late onset (3–8 weeks). Long-term pneumonia morbidity, steroid therapy, positive pressure ventilation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can cause pneumothorax, leading to capillary and alveolar damage.
- Published
- 2020
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