J Korean Med Sci.  2004 Feb;19(1):142-144. 10.3346/jkms.2004.19.1.142.

Bronchial Atresia Associated with Spontaneous Pneumothorax : Report of A Case

• Yoon YH
• Son KH
• Kim JT
• Baek WK
• Kim KH
• Lee KH
• Han HS

• KMID: 1785710
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2004.19.1.142

Abstract

A 32-yr-old male patient with recurrent pneumothorax associated with bronchial atresia of the subsegmental branch of the posterior segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe was successfully treated with right upper lobectomy. Before surgery, the bronchial atresia with pneumothorax was suspected on the chest radiograph and CT scans, which showed the findings of bronchocele with localized hyperinflation of the right upper lobe. The examination of surgical specimen from the resected right upper lobe suggests that the cause of the recurrent pneumothorax was the rupture of the subpleural bullae in the hyperinflated lung segment distal to the atretic bronchus.

Keyword

Bronchial Diseases; Atresia; Abnormalities; Pneumothorax

MeSH Terms

Adult
Bronchi/*abnormalities/pathology
Bronchial Diseases/*diagnosis
Human
Male
Pneumothorax/*diagnosis
Respiratory System Abnormalities/*pathology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A posteroanterior chest radiograph reveals increased radiolucency along with overinflated lung parenchyma and sparse vasculature in the upper half of the right lung. Also noted v-shaped branching opacity is in the right parahilar area (arrow). Pneumothorax is associated in the right lower pleural cavity (arrow head).

• 

  Fig. 2 Chest CT scan shows a branching soft tissue density in the region of the posterior segment of the right upper lobe with marked decrease in attenuation and vascularity. The subsegmental branch of the posterior segmental bronchus could not be traced distal to this (arrow) posterior segmental bronchus.

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  Fig. 3 Microscopic findings of the posterior segment of the right upper lobe include subpleural bullae (arrows) which are surrounded by focally overinflated alveoli. (Hematoxylin-Eosin stain×12.5).

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