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Unusual presentation of more common disease/injury
CASE REPORT
Large air-filled intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst associated with tension pneumothorax during air travel
  1. Nicholas Bayfield1,
  2. Nikki Stamp1,
  3. Andrew Laycock2 and
  4. Chris Merry1
  1. 1 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Transplantation, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
  2. 2 Department of Pathology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Nicholas Bayfield, Nicholas.Bayfield{at}health.wa.gov.au

Abstract

A 38-year-old woman developed a spontaneous right-sided tension pneumothorax during light aircraft travel. The aircraft was diverted to a regional centre, where emergent needle thoracostomy and chest tube insertion were performed. History suggested that this was the second episode of pneumothorax, with an untreated event with similar symptomatology during air travel 1 year ago. She was taken for surgical intervention. Intraoperative findings were of a large right middle lobe cyst of uncertain origin; the procedure was subsequently aborted. A CT chest demonstrated a large multiseptated air-filled pulmonary cystic lesion. Inpatient stay was notable for persistent right pneumothorax with interval cyst rupture. A right middle lobectomy was subsequently performed with histopathology showing a benign epithelioid bronchogenic cyst. Recovery was unremarkable with no residual pneumothorax or further episodes at 2 months postoperatively. Preventative excision of air-filled pulmonary abnormalities should be considered prior to air travel.

  • pneumothorax
  • respiratory medicine
  • air leaks
  • cardiothoracic surgery

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2018-228032

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors All authors gave substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data; drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version published; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.