Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant

Airway complications after lung transplantation are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Bronchial dehiscence presents within a month of lung transplantation and is typically diagnosed radiographically as a sentinel gas pocket at the anastomotic site and confirmed with bronchoscopy. A 66-year-o...

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Main Authors: Linda P. Vien, Robert M. Marron, Abbas Charlie, Maruti Kumaran, James C. Brown
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Pulmonology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8830361
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author Linda P. Vien
Robert M. Marron
Abbas Charlie
Maruti Kumaran
James C. Brown
author_facet Linda P. Vien
Robert M. Marron
Abbas Charlie
Maruti Kumaran
James C. Brown
author_sort Linda P. Vien
collection DOAJ
description Airway complications after lung transplantation are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Bronchial dehiscence presents within a month of lung transplantation and is typically diagnosed radiographically as a sentinel gas pocket at the anastomotic site and confirmed with bronchoscopy. A 66-year-old man with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who underwent a right lung transplantation 4 weeks prior developed chest pain with palpable crepitus over his right chest wall. A chest X-ray revealed subcutaneous emphysema and a small right-sided pneumothorax. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax without contrast revealed a gas pocket at the anastomotic site in the mediastinum as well as interstitial emphysema around the proximal bronchi of the right lung that had worsened when compared to CT from 11 days prior. A review of prior CT demonstrated interstitial emphysema without evidence of a sentinel gas pocket. These findings suggest that interstitial emphysema was the initial radiographic manifestation of the bronchial anastomotic site dehiscence. Interstitial emphysema is typically self-limiting, but severe cases can lead to major complications. Interstitial emphysema outside of the immediate postoperative period should be recognized as a possible early radiographic sign of bronchial dehiscence in lung transplant patients with vigilant monitoring of potential complications and strong consideration for early bronchoscopic investigation.
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spelling doaj-art-877d44c377714ff881f76a3eef6950832025-08-20T03:37:43ZengWileyCase Reports in Pulmonology2090-68462090-68542020-01-01202010.1155/2020/88303618830361Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung TransplantLinda P. Vien0Robert M. Marron1Abbas Charlie2Maruti Kumaran3James C. Brown4Department of Medicine, Temple University Hospital, 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USADepartment of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Temple University Hospital, 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USADepartment of Radiology, Temple University Hospital, 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USADepartment of Radiology, Temple University Hospital, 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USADepartment of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Temple University Hospital, 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USAAirway complications after lung transplantation are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Bronchial dehiscence presents within a month of lung transplantation and is typically diagnosed radiographically as a sentinel gas pocket at the anastomotic site and confirmed with bronchoscopy. A 66-year-old man with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who underwent a right lung transplantation 4 weeks prior developed chest pain with palpable crepitus over his right chest wall. A chest X-ray revealed subcutaneous emphysema and a small right-sided pneumothorax. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax without contrast revealed a gas pocket at the anastomotic site in the mediastinum as well as interstitial emphysema around the proximal bronchi of the right lung that had worsened when compared to CT from 11 days prior. A review of prior CT demonstrated interstitial emphysema without evidence of a sentinel gas pocket. These findings suggest that interstitial emphysema was the initial radiographic manifestation of the bronchial anastomotic site dehiscence. Interstitial emphysema is typically self-limiting, but severe cases can lead to major complications. Interstitial emphysema outside of the immediate postoperative period should be recognized as a possible early radiographic sign of bronchial dehiscence in lung transplant patients with vigilant monitoring of potential complications and strong consideration for early bronchoscopic investigation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8830361
spellingShingle Linda P. Vien
Robert M. Marron
Abbas Charlie
Maruti Kumaran
James C. Brown
Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
Case Reports in Pulmonology
title Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
title_full Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
title_fullStr Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
title_full_unstemmed Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
title_short Interstitial Emphysema as a Rare Radiographic Presentation of Bronchial Dehiscence after Lung Transplant
title_sort interstitial emphysema as a rare radiographic presentation of bronchial dehiscence after lung transplant
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8830361
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