LARGE BILATERAL PNEUMATOCELES COMPLICATING COVID-19 RECOVERY

ABSTRACT

SESSION TITLE Using Imaging for Diagnosis Case Posters SESSION TYPE Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON 10/19/2022 1245 pm - 0145 pm INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary clinicians are all too familiar with the ground-glass and consolidative pulmonary opacities that are the hallmark of COVID-19 pneumonia on imaging. As the pandemic continues, we encounter an ever-growing list of complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pneumatoceles are thin-walled, gas-filled spaces within the lungs that occur in association with pneumonia or chest trauma and typically resolve spontaneously1 but may rupture and cause pneumothorax2. Reports of pneumatoceles due to COVID-19 are uncommon. In this case report, I describe a patient who developed large bilateral pneumatoceles as a complication of COVID-19. CASE PRESENTATION A 25-year-old male non-smoker with no significant past medical history presented with dyspnea after a lab-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 nine days prior. Initial chest radiograph showed multifocal bilateral airspace infiltrates consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia. He was admitted for management of acute hypoxic respiratory failure and treated with dexamethasone, remdesivir, and tocilizumab. He required heated high-flow nasal cannula oxygen up to 60 LPM but did not require CPAP or mechanical ventilation. On hospital day 5 he developed increasing tachypnea and exertional desaturation. CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) ruled-out pulmonary embolus but revealed progression of bilateral infiltrates and extensive pneumomediastinum with subcutaneous air in the neck and chest wall, and no clear evidence for pneumothorax. The patient discharged on day 12 with oxygen but returned 2 days later with new onset hemoptysis. CTPA on admission showed new bilateral pneumothoraces and he was transferred to a quaternary hospital for intensive care where bilateral chest tubes were placed. Repeat CT Chest after lung expansion revealed bilateral cystic areas within the lungs initially concerning for necrotizing infection. Bacterial and fungal cultures were negative. Despite resolution of the pneumothoraces and removal of chest tubes, he continued to experience hemoptysis and chest pain. CT Chest demonstrated enlargement of now clearly very large pneumatoceles with air-fluid levels. After conservative management and discharge, a 6-week surveillance CT showed significant decrease in the pneumatoceles but a new moderate-to-large right pneumothorax. Ultimately after 2 more admissions and 90 days since COVID-19 diagnosis, he underwent wedge resection and mechanical pleurodesis for definitive management of secondary pneumothoraces. DISCUSSION: A pneumatocele, especially when large and containing an air-fluid level, may mimic hydropneumothorax, empyema, or pulmonary abscess among other diagnoses. Failure to recognize a pneumatocele and differentiate it from other conditions could lead to inappropriate treatment and cause patient harm3. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to recognize pneumatoceles as a potential complication in the post COVID-19 setting to guide appropriate management. Reference #1 Quigley, M. J., & Fraser, R. S. (1988). Pulmonary pneumatocele pathology and pathogenesis. AJR. American journal of roentgenology, 150(6), 1275–1277. https//doi.org/10.2214/ajr.150.6.1275 Reference #2 Odackal, J., Milinic, T., Amass, T., Chan, E. D., Hua, J., & Krefft, S. (2021). A 28-Year-Old Man With Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, and Hemoptysis After Recovery From Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia. Chest, 159(1), e35–e38. https//doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2020.07.096 Reference #3 Jamil A, Kasi A. Pneumatocele. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL) StatPearls Publishing;2022 Jan-. Available from https//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556146/ DISCLOSURES Speaker/Speaker's Bureau relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim Please note 2018 to present Added 04/01/2022 by Erin Peterson, value=Honoraria