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European Journal of Case Reports in... 2022COVID-19 emerged in China in late 2019 and quickly spread worldwide. The severe immunomodulation and depletion of lymphocytes caused by the virus and its therapy led to...
UNLABELLED
COVID-19 emerged in China in late 2019 and quickly spread worldwide. The severe immunomodulation and depletion of lymphocytes caused by the virus and its therapy led to an increase in the incidence of superinfections. COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is a new entity with increasing incidence and high associated mortality. We present the case of a 68-year-old patient admitted to our ward after recovering from severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Due to worsening of her clinical condition, chest computed tomography was performed and a lung abscess was documented with the identification of . Despite therapy with voriconazole, the patient's condition deteriorated, culminating in her death.
LEARNING POINTS
COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is a new entity with an increasing incidence.It is a serious and life-threatening complication in patients with severe COVID-19 even in the absence of the classic risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.Clinical suspicion is crucial since a timely diagnosis and treatment have a major impact on prognosis.
PubMed: 35402341
DOI: 10.12890/2022_003209 -
Cureus Aug 2022A 68-year-old male with a known history of von Hippel-Lindau disease with brain hemangioblastoma status post radiation therapy and recurrent hemangioblastoma in the...
A 68-year-old male with a known history of von Hippel-Lindau disease with brain hemangioblastoma status post radiation therapy and recurrent hemangioblastoma in the spine and multiple spinal surgeries presented initially to the emergency department due to hemoptysis and worsening shortness of breath. A CT chest demonstrated a left lung mass and left pleural effusion, which was initially suspected to be lung malignancy given his symptoms and history. However, it was determined to be a lung abscess following workup and consultations. This case highlights the similarities in the presentation of both pathologies and the critical features in lung abscesses.
PubMed: 36106291
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27725 -
Medical Principles and Practice :... 2022Invasive candidiasis is predominantly seen in immunosuppressed patients and carries a significant mortality. The clinical spectrum of invasive candidiasis encompasses... (Review)
Review
Invasive candidiasis is predominantly seen in immunosuppressed patients and carries a significant mortality. The clinical spectrum of invasive candidiasis encompasses candidemia and disseminated infection (intra-abdominal abscess, osteomyelitis, endophthalmitis, and Candida meningitis). The existence of Candida pneumonia has been largely debated over the years due to its rarity and presence of frequent colonization. Demonstration of Candida species by lung biopsy along with evidence of inflammation is the only way to confirm this entity. The interpretation of Candida in respiratory specimens and the decision to initiate antifungal therapy is controversial due to the lack of clinical evidence. In this mini-review, we discuss the currently available clinical data from the literature on Candida pneumonia and future perspectives regarding the need for antifungal therapy in such patients.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Candida; Candidiasis; Candidiasis, Invasive; Humans; Pneumonia
PubMed: 34638123
DOI: 10.1159/000520111 -
Critical Care (London, England) Oct 2023Patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV) for COVID-19 exhibit an increased risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The occurrence of lung abscesses... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV) for COVID-19 exhibit an increased risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The occurrence of lung abscesses following VAP in these patients has been poorly studied. We aimed to describe the incidence, characteristics, risk factors and prognosis of lung abscesses complicating VAP after COVID-19.
METHODS
We conducted an observational, retrospective study in three French intensive care units. Patients admitted for acute respiratory failure with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 PCR and requiring MV for more than 48 h were included.
RESULTS
Among the 507 patients included, 326 (64%) had a documented VAP. Of these, 23 (7%) developed a lung abscess. Enterobacterales (15/23, 65%) were the main documentation, followed by non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (10/23, 43%) and Gram-positive cocci (8/23, 35%). Lung abscesses were mainly plurimicrobial (15/23, 65%). In multivariate analysis, a plurimicrobial 1st VAP episode (OR (95% CI) 2.93 (1.16-7.51); p = 0.02) and the use of hydrocortisone (OR (95% CI) 4.86 (1.95-12.1); p = 0.001) were associated with lung abscess development. Intensive care unit (ICU) mortality of patients with lung abscesses reached 52%, but was not significantly higher than for patients with VAP but no lung abscess. Patients with lung abscesses had reduced ventilator-free days at day 60, a longer duration of MV and ICU stay than patients with VAP but no lung abscess (respectively, 0 (0-3) vs. 16 (0-42) days; p < 0.001, 49 (32-73) vs. 25 (11-41) days; p < 0.001, 52 (36-77) vs. 28 (16-47) days; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Lung abscessing pneumonia is not uncommon among COVID-19 patients developing VAP. A plurimicrobial first VAP episode and the use of hydrocortisone are independently associated with this complication. In COVID-19 patients with persistent VAP, a chest CT scan investigating the evolution toward lung abscess should be considered.
Topics: Humans; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; Lung Abscess; Retrospective Studies; Cohort Studies; Hydrocortisone; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Respiration, Artificial; Intensive Care Units
PubMed: 37794402
DOI: 10.1186/s13054-023-04660-x -
Autopsy & Case Reports 2020Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a disorder of varying etiology and should be diagnosed early for appropriate interventions. A 45-year-old man was hospitalized for chest...
Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a disorder of varying etiology and should be diagnosed early for appropriate interventions. A 45-year-old man was hospitalized for chest pain, dyspnea, cough, chills, diarrhea, and vomiting, which had started 3 weeks before admission. Physical examination indicated a reduced vesicular murmur in the right hemithorax. A chest x-ray performed indicated a pneumothorax and pulmonary abscess in the right hemithorax. Thoracostomy released abundant purulent and fetid fluid. Direct examination of the pleural fluid using saline revealed structures similar to . Non-contrast chest computed tomography revealed right pneumothorax along with an irregular cavitation located at the pleuropulmonary interface of the posterior margin of the right lower lobe. A pleurostomy was performed. On the second postoperative day, the patient suffered a sudden major hemorrhage through the surgical wound and died on the way to the operating room. The autopsy revealed an abscess and ruptured aneurysm of the lower lobar artery in the lower right lung. Microscopic examination revealed extensive liquefactive necrosis associated with purulent inflammation and the presence of filamentous fungi and spores. This case can be characterized as a severe disorder that requires early diagnosis to achieve a good therapeutic response and to avoid fatal outcomes.
PubMed: 32039062
DOI: 10.4322/acr.2019.131 -
Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Oct 2022An extremely rare disease with a slow course, actinomycosis has a high mortality risk when not properly treated. Pulmonary actinomycosis is clinically and radiologically...
An extremely rare disease with a slow course, actinomycosis has a high mortality risk when not properly treated. Pulmonary actinomycosis is clinically and radiologically analogous with tuberculosis, foreign body aspiration, lung abscess, or lung cancer. Therefore, it often causes misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis. A 65-year-old male patient, being followed up with the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung adenocarcinoma, was admitted to our outpatient clinic with complaints of chronic cough. On chest CT, a cavitary lesion in the upper lobe of the right lung was observed. Sputum Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) was negative for 3 consecutive times, fungal direct examination was negative, and there was no growth in mycobacterium culture and fungal culture. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed a raised, hard, white-colored lesion on the mucosa obliterating the apical and anterior segment bronchial entrance of the right lung upper lobe. A diagnosis of actinomycosis was made with sulfur granules seen in the pathology as a result of biopsy and lavage. Detection of sulfur granules in biopsy is essential for the diagnosis of actinomycosis, and a nearly complete response is usually obtained with long-term antibiotic treatment. Alternative methods such as surgical debridement should be considered in cases that do not respond to antibiotic treatment.
Topics: Male; Humans; Aged; Actinomycosis; Lung Diseases; Lung; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Sulfur
PubMed: 36308251
DOI: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_1357_21 -
Respiratory Medicine Sep 2023Lung abscess (LA) is a serious respiratory infection often followed by several weeks of antibiotic treatment. This study described the clinical presentation of LA,...
INTRODUCTION
Lung abscess (LA) is a serious respiratory infection often followed by several weeks of antibiotic treatment. This study described the clinical presentation of LA, treatment duration and mortality in a contemporary Danish population.
METHODS
In a retrospective multicenter cohort study at four Danish hospitals, patients diagnosed with LA were identified using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th revision (ICD-10) between 2016 and 2021. A predefined data collection tool was used to extract data on demographics, symptoms, clinical findings and treatment.
RESULTS
Of 302 patients, 222 with LA were included after review of patient records (76%). Mean age was 65 years (54-74), 62.9% was male and 74.9% were ever-smokers. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (35.1%), use of sedatives (29.3%) and alcohol abuse (21.8%) were common risk factors. Dental status was reported in 51.4%, whereof 41.6% had poor dental status. Patients presented with cough (78.8%), malaise (61.3%) and fever (56.8%) Patients were hospitalized for a median of 14 days (interquartile ranges, IQR 7-21) and median duration of antibiotic treatment was 38 days (IQR 30-51). All-cause mortality after 1, 3 and 12 months was 2.7%, 7.7% and 15.8%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Risk factors for LA include COPD and use of sedatives, alcohol abuse, and poor dental status. Despite long-term antibiotic treatment, long-term mortality is markedly high.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Lung Abscess; Cohort Studies; Disease Progression; Alcoholism; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Denmark
PubMed: 37302422
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107305 -
Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira... Mar 2022Pulmonary actinomycosis, clinically and radiologically, mimics abscess, tuberculosis, and lung malignancy, resulting in misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis. In this...
INTRODUCTION
Pulmonary actinomycosis, clinically and radiologically, mimics abscess, tuberculosis, and lung malignancy, resulting in misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis. In this study, we analyzed the clinicoradiological features of pulmonary actinomycosis, the presence of any differences between clinical prediagnosis and radiological diagnosis, and whether imaging modalities help distinguish pulmonary actinomycosis from lung cancer.
METHODS
A total of 22 patients who had a histopathological diagnosis of actinomycosis in a tertiary health center participated in this study. Of these, 14 had positron-emission tomography/computed tomography.
RESULTS
In all, 81.8% of the patients were males. The diagnostic procedures employed for the diagnosis of actinomycosis were surgery in 54.5% of patients, fiberoptic bronchoscopy in 36.4% of patients, and rigid bronchoscopy in 9.1% of patients. Radiological and clinical prediagnosis showed malignancy in 31.8 and 40.9% of patients, respectively. The mean of the maximum standardized uptake value was 6.33±3.6 on positron-emission tomography/computed tomography. Kappa compliance analysis revealed that clinical and radiological diagnoses were significantly compatible with each other and that radiological pre-diagnoses were not superior to clinical diagnoses (κ=0.701 and p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Pulmonary actinomycosis shows high metabolic uptake in positron-emission tomography/computed tomography, and this may mislead clinicians for a diagnosis of malignancy. Our results suggest that positron-emission tomography/computed tomography does not help distinguish pulmonary actinomycosis from lung malignancy and does not provide a clear diagnostic benefit to the clinician, so pathological diagnosis is necessary.
Topics: Actinomycosis; Bronchoscopy; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Lung Diseases; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Radiography
PubMed: 35442366
DOI: 10.1590/1806-9282.20211017 -
International Journal of Surgery Case... Aug 2022Early thoracic empyema is usually treated through video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication. Patient selection is important for decortication if an effective...
INTRODUCTION
Early thoracic empyema is usually treated through video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) decortication. Patient selection is important for decortication if an effective surgical outcome is required. Lung isolation techniques are required to provide anesthesia for these patients to facilitate the surgeon while operating on the affected lung. The ultimate target is to protect the non-diseased contra-lateral lung from contamination.
PRESENTATION OF CASE
We are presenting a unique case of 20-year-old female, resident of Karachi, who was brought to the emergency room (ER) with signs of sepsis, hypotension, and multi-organ failure. She was brought to the operating room to undergo video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) for lung abscess decortication when her medical therapy had failed. On table decision of right upper lobe resection was made and ventilation strategy had to be modified accordingly.
DISCUSSION
The main anaesthetic aim was to protect the healthy parts of the lung from the abscess. Regular suctioning of secretions during surgery via the double lumen tube (DLT) lumen on the diseased side is recommended. While performing VATS, the lung abscess got ruptured and immediate measures to isolate the lung was taken to assist with surgical resection of the affected lobe. Lobectomy can only be done once the lung was completely isolated and maintaining perfusion and ventilation of the relatively healthy lung help in managing hypoxia.
CONCLUSION
Peri-operative management of ruptured lung abscesses required thorough pre-op evaluation, intraoperative lung isolation and ventilation, and postoperative analgesia with combined team effort both surgical and anaesthetic, are vital fundamentals to consider in guaranteeing the best outcome.
PubMed: 35868131
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2022.107381 -
Lung Abscess and Pyothorax in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.Critical Care Explorations May 2023The mortality rate of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation remains high. This study determined the percentage and characteristics of...
The mortality rate of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation remains high. This study determined the percentage and characteristics of patients who developed lung abscesses or pyothorax and their mortality rates among adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU who required mechanical ventilation. Of the 64 patients with COVID-19 assessed, 30 (47%) developed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), of whom 6 (20%) developed pyothorax or lung abscess. There were no statistically significant differences in patient characteristics, treatment after ICU admission, or outcomes between those with and without these complications, except for age. VAP complicated by Lung abscess or pyothorax was caused by a single organism, with = 4) and species ( = 2) being the primary causative agents. Occur infrequently in patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. Large-scale studies are required to elucidate their effects on clinical outcomes.
PubMed: 37197587
DOI: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000919