Necrotizing fasciitis of the chest wall is a very rare pathology, but with significant mortality, representing a therapeutic challenge. All international reports indicate the need for early diagnosis and an aggressive medical-surgical attitude in order to improve the prognosis. In addition to a review of literature, we present a case developed secondary to a thoracic pleural drainage for pyopneumothorax associated with significant bronchopleural fistula in a destroyed tuberculous left lung. Along with medical treatment, extensive surgical debridement was required. Despite drainage incisions and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), the evolution of the fasciitis was difficult, due to bronchopleurocutaneous fistula. Thus, the Azorin procedure (transcervical mediastinoscopic closure of the left main bronchus) was performed. Once this procedure was completed, the inflammatory phenomena were controlled which allowed for a second step consisting of left pneumonectomy, with the application of specific methods for the prevention of bronchial fistula. The clinical case was a therapeutic challenge requiring a complex, staged, multidisciplinary approach due to both the immunocompromised terrain and the severity of the lesions. In conclusion, early recognition and aggressive and combined application of medical and surgical treatment methods can ensure therapeutic success.
Background/Aim: Leiomyoma is a rare benign tumor originating from smooth muscle fibres. In the respiratory tract, these tumors are rare and in the pleura, cases are exceptional, with only a few reported so far. This is the main reason we decided to present this case of primary leiomyoma of the visceral pleura. Case Report: We present a case of a 51-year-old asymptomatic patient who, during a routine medical examination using standard chest radiography, presented with a 3 by 2 cm homogenous mass in the right superior pulmonary area, tangent to the chest wall (same level with the 3 rd rib). Further investigation using computed tomography (CT) in the chest confirmed the presence of a 31/18 mm solid mass in the right upper lobe, in contact with the parietal pleura. Surgery was performed for two reasons: i) removal of the tumoral mass and ii) establishing a histopathological diagnosis. Intraoperatively, a well-defined, homogenous, ivory white non-infiltrating mass was discovered in the right upper lobe on the visceral pleura and in close proximity to the minor fissure. The mass was removed with negative surgical margins and was left with healthy tissue. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry came as a surprise, establishing our diagnosis of leiomyoma. Conclusion: Primitive pleural leiomyoma must remain a possibility when considering the differential diagnosis of pleural tumors. The main course of treatment is complete surgical resection. In our case, longterm follow up did not present any local recurrence.Leiomyoma is a tumor originating in smooth muscular fibres and can occur anywhere in the body where this cell type exists. Leiomyomas are part of the mesenchymal tumor category. Most often, these tumors are present in the uterus, esophagus and small intestine (1, 2). The first description of leiomyoma belongs to Wirshaw in 1854 (1) while Steinard reported the first case of pulmonary leiomyoma in 1939 in a patient that also presented with a uterine fibroma (3). In 1958, Kloepfer described the presence of hereditary leiomyomatosis (2). Other hereditary leiomyomatosis have since been described with multiple simultaneous locations (4); however, the presence in the respiratory tract of a leiomyoma is rare, representing 2% of benign tumors found in this region (5,6).Primary pulmonary leiomyoma was first described in 1907 as a standalone pathology (7), with the first case of pulmonary leiomyoma being reported by Forkel, in 1910 (8).
Pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with respiratory failure can severely affect the pulmonary functional status and may aggravate it through pulmonary suppuration, by recruitment of new parenchyma and hemoptysis, which can sometimes be massive, with lethal risk by flooding the bronchus. The treatment consists of a combination of medical therapy, surgery and interventional radiology. In small lesions, less than 2-3 cm, medical therapy methods may be sufficient; however, in invasive forms (larger than 3 cm) surgical resection is necessary. Surgical resection is the ideal treatment; nevertheless, when lung function does not allow it, action must be taken to eliminate the favorable conditions of the infection. In such cases, whenever the lung cavity is peripheral, a cavernostomy may be performed. Four cases of lung cavernous lesions colonized with aspergillus, in which the need for a therapeutic gesture was imposed by repeated small to medium hemoptysis and by the progression of respiratory failure, were evaluated, one of which is presented in the current study. Cavernostomy closure can be realized either surgically with muscle flap or spontaneously by scarring, after closure of the bronchial fistulas by epithelization and granulation. There were no recurrences of hemoptysis or suppurative phenomena. There was one death, a patient with severe respiratory failure caused by superinfection with nonspecific germs. However, in the case presented in this study, the patient recovered following cavernostomy, which seems to be an effective and safe method for cases in which lung resection is not feasible.
Background/Aim: Thymomas are a rare type of mediastinal tumors with a slow growth rate. Because of this, they are well tolerated and patients usually present with large masses, which can extend in either of the thoracic cavities. The surgical approach for such tumors is dictated by the size and localization of the mass. Case Report: We present the case of a patient with a large thymoma, resected through surgery performed by left antero-lateral thoracotomy. The patient presented in our clinic with a persistent cough, dyspnea, chest pain and tightness. Standard thoracic X-ray revealed a bilateral increase in size of the mediastinal shadow, mainly on the left side, with well-defined margins and subcostal intensity. A thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan discovered a tumoral mass within the antero-superior mediastinum, with compression of the mediastinal organs; presentation being suggestive for a thymoma. Surgery was performed, removing a 15/13/10 cm thymoma with a weight of 1126 g. Pathological examination as well as immunohistochemistry confirmed our diagnosis of type AB thymoma, stage I Masaoka–Koga. Conclusion: In conclusion, surgical treatment remains the main therapeutic option in thymomas, but it is often difficult to perform due to tumor size and local invasion. However, even in large thymomas of stages I and II, surgery can be performed using an antero-lateral thoracotomy.
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