Display options
Cite
Araújo A, Sousa M, Pinto J, et al. A 32-Year-Old Woman with Relapsing Pneumonia. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2018;5(8):000854doi: 10.12890/2018_000854.
Araújo, A., Sousa, M., Pinto, J., Cavadas, S., & Rodrigues, L. (2018). A 32-Year-Old Woman with Relapsing Pneumonia. European journal of case reports in internal medicine, 5(8), 000854. https://doi.org/10.12890/2018_000854
Araújo, Ana, et al. "A 32-Year-Old Woman with Relapsing Pneumonia." European journal of case reports in internal medicine vol. 5,8 (2018): 000854. doi: https://doi.org/10.12890/2018_000854
Araújo A, Sousa M, Pinto J, Cavadas S, Rodrigues L. A 32-Year-Old Woman with Relapsing Pneumonia. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2018 Aug 28;5(8):000854. doi: 10.12890/2018_000854. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30756055; PMCID: PMC6346833.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2018 Aug 28;5(8):000854. doi: 10.12890/2018_000854. eCollection 2018.

A 32-Year-Old Woman with Relapsing Pneumonia.

European journal of case reports in internal medicine

Ana Araújo, Magda Sousa, Joel Pinto, Susana Cavadas, Luís Rodrigues

Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga, Aveiro, Portugal.
  2. Pneumology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga, Aveiro, Portugal.

PMID: 30756055 PMCID: PMC6346833 DOI: 10.12890/2018_000854

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Isolated right pulmonary artery agenesis in an adult patient is an extremely rare condition that requires a high level of suspicion to make the diagnosis.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 32-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with a 4-month history of recurrent respiratory infections. Chest radiography and computerized tomography (CT) revealed alveolar opacities on the medium and inferior right lobes. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy with bronchial aspirate was negative on both cytological and microbiological analysis. Due to the persistent of the imaging findings after a full course of a wide-spectrum antibiotic, an angio-CT was performed, revealing a complete stop at the level of the right pulmonary artery. Angiography confirmed the diagnosis of right pulmonary artery agenesis.

DISCUSSION: Currently, the patient has no exertional dyspnoea, screening for pulmonary hypertension has so far been negative and no further respiratory infections have occurred. It is important to call attention to a major congenital malformation that may remain asymptomatic until adulthood.

LEARNING POINTS: Unilateral pulmonary agenesis is a rare entity that can present in multiple forms.A high level of suspicion and a thorough investigation is required for the diagnosis, with angiography remaining important even though chest angio-CT findings can suggest the diagnosis.A major complication of this condition is pulmonary hypertension, which can appear early in infancy or with conditions that modify the pulmonary circulation such as pregnancy, although previous pregnancies did not trigger pulmonary hypertension in our patient.

Keywords: Unilateral pulmonary artery agenesis; angiography

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interests: The Authors declare that there are no competing interests.

References

  1. Chest. 2002 Oct;122(4):1471-7 - PubMed
  2. Ann Thorac Surg. 2005 Apr;79(4):1399-402 - PubMed
  3. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011 Mar;12(3):509-10 - PubMed
  4. Arch Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Aug-Sep;106(8-9):448-54 - PubMed
  5. Chest. 1995 Sep;108(3):670-6 - PubMed

Publication Types