ABSTRACT
Neurilemmoma is a benign and slowly growing neurogenic tumor. Intrathoracic neurilemmoma often develops in the chest wall and posterior mediastinum, but endobronchial neurilemmoma is extremely rare. The diagnosis of endobronchial neurilemmoma with preoperative imaging findings is challenging and is usually made via postoperative pathological examination. These authors encountered a case of primary endobronchial neurilemmoma in a 52-year-old woman who had no symptoms. A 3.0 x 2.6 cm mass in the right lower lobe projecting into the mediobasal segmental bronchus was shown in the results of the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the chest. Benign neurilemmoma was confirmed via bronchoscopic biopsy, and surgical resection (sleeve bronchial excision and end-to-end anastomosis) was performed.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Biopsy , Bronchi , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mediastinum , Neurilemmoma , Pulmonary Surgical Procedures , Thoracic Wall , ThoraxABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Data comparing the clinical characteristics and outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP-COPD) and acute exacerbation (AE-COPD) are very limited. METHODS: Eighty episodes of hospitalization in 65 CAP-COPD patients, and 111 episodes of hospitalization in 82 AE-COPD patients were included in this study. The baseline characteristics, clinical presentations, potential bacterial pathogens and clinical outcomes in these patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups in parameters related to COPD and co-morbidities, except a higher rate of male among CAP-COPD patients. Clinical presentations by symptoms and laboratory findings on admission were significantly more severe in CAP-COPD patients, who showed higher rates of fever and crepitation, but less wheezing than AE-COPD patients. S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosae were the most common bacterial pathogens in both groups. With no difference in the overall hospital mortality between both groups, the mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the CAP-COPD patients than in AE-COPD patients (15.3 vs. 9.8 days, respectively, p<0.01). Additional analysis on CAP-COPD patients showed that systemic steroid use did not influence the length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Although there was no significant difference in bacterial pathogens and overall hospital mortality between the two groups, CAP-COPD patients had more severe clinical symptoms and laboratory findings at presentation, and longer hospital stay than AE-COPD patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Disease Progression , Fever , Hospital Mortality , Hospitalization , Length of Stay , Pneumonia , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive , Respiratory Sounds , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Data comparing the clinical characteristics and outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP-COPD) and acute exacerbation (AE-COPD) are very limited. METHODS: Eighty episodes of hospitalization in 65 CAP-COPD patients, and 111 episodes of hospitalization in 82 AE-COPD patients were included in this study. The baseline characteristics, clinical presentations, potential bacterial pathogens and clinical outcomes in these patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups in parameters related to COPD and co-morbidities, except a higher rate of male among CAP-COPD patients. Clinical presentations by symptoms and laboratory findings on admission were significantly more severe in CAP-COPD patients, who showed higher rates of fever and crepitation, but less wheezing than AE-COPD patients. S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosae were the most common bacterial pathogens in both groups. With no difference in the overall hospital mortality between both groups, the mean length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the CAP-COPD patients than in AE-COPD patients (15.3 vs. 9.8 days, respectively, p<0.01). Additional analysis on CAP-COPD patients showed that systemic steroid use did not influence the length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Although there was no significant difference in bacterial pathogens and overall hospital mortality between the two groups, CAP-COPD patients had more severe clinical symptoms and laboratory findings at presentation, and longer hospital stay than AE-COPD patients.