Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | J | Journal of Respiratory Diseases

A 45-year-old man with intralobar bronchopulmonary sequestration.

Article Excerpt
Bronchopulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital lung malformation characterized by an abnormal segment of bronchopulmonary tissue supplied by an anomalous systemic artery. The diagnosis may be easily missed in adults, since many are asymptomatic; moreover, symptoms, when present, often overlap with those of other pulmonary processes. Surgical resection provides definitive management and is usually reserved for patients with symptoms. We present a case of intralobar bronchopulmonary sequestration that presented during adulthood.

The case

The patient was a 45-year-old man who was seen in an outpatient clinic for abdominal pain. He was obese and had obstructive sleep apnea, which was being treated with continuous positive airway pressure.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

A CT scan of the abdomen failed to reveal any abnormal abdominal findings, but the lower chest cuts showed an abnormal blood vessel. The patient was subsequently referred to a pulmonary clinic.

The history and physical examination findings were unremarkable. Arterial blood gas values at rest were normal, and pulse oximetry showed no oxygen desaturation during exercise. Pulmonary function tests showed a mild restrictive defect with preserved carbon monoxide -diffusing capacity.

Findings on a CT angiogram of the chest confirmed the vascular nature of the abnormality that was seen on the abdominal CT scan, with minimal bronchoparenchymal abnormalities (Figure 1). Pulmonary and aortic angiography was performed (Figure 2). The results were as follows:

* A left pulmonary arteriogram demonstrated a paucity of pulmonary arterial...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!