Creeping mediastinal lymphangioma transgressing anatomical compartments: A rare case in an adult female patient.

Lymphangiomas, also known as lymphatic malformations, are rare non-neoplastic lesions of vascular origin showing lymphatic differentiation. These are most commonly reported in children within the neck and axillary region; however, mediastinum remains the commonest site in adults whereby diagnosis is usually incidental on imaging done for non-specific symptoms. Radiologically, these lesions are well-defined multicystic non-enhancing masses, with CT attenuation values ranging from simple to complex fluid and fat. Being benign, these mostly present clinically either due to mass effect exerted on structures, secondarily infected or developing intra lesion haemorrhage. We present a rare case of mediastinal lymphangioma with secondary hilar and intrapulmonary extension in a middle-aged female presenting with occasional haemoptysis and shortness of breath. The patient underwent thoracotomy with complete dissection of the mediastinal tumour, per operative Bleomycin administration in pulmonary component, and made subsequent uneventful post-operative recovery.

Role of medical Thoracoscopy in the Management of Multiloculated Empyema.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of early pleural empyema depends on the treatment of ongoing infection by antimicrobial therapy along with thoracocentesis. In complicated empyema this treatment does not work and lung will not expand until removal of adhesions. The objective of the current study is to analyze the experience of management of multiloculated, exudative and fibrinopurulent empyema through rigid medical thoracoscopy under local anaesthesia and to explore new ways to manage the entity. METHODS: This is a descriptive case series in which 160 patients were recruited through non-probability convenient sampling, from department of pulmonology, Jinnah postgraduate medical centre, Karachi, from September 2014 to August 2016. All patients underwent medical thoracoscopy under local anesthesia. Written Informed consent was taken from the study participants. Ethical approval was obtained from Ethical Review Committee of the hospital. Patients age > 70 years, those with multiple organ failure and bleeding disorders were excluded. RESULTS: Out of 160 patients, 108 (67.50%) were male and 52 (32.5%) were female with mean age 25.37 years (range 16 to 70 years). Out of total, 102 (63.7%) had tuberculous empyema, while pleural biopsy of 58 (36.3%) patients was suggestive of non-tuberculous empyema. Final evolution through chest x-ray revealed complete resolution in 92 (57.5%), partial resolution in 58 (36.25%) patients. 9 (5.6%) developed persistent air leak while 1 (0.6%) patient expired due to urosepsis. CONCLUSION: Medical Thoracoscopy under local anesthesia is a safe, efficient and cost effective intervention for management of complicated empyema, particularly in resource constraint settings.

Asymptomatic inhaled foreign body. A bullet in the lung for 2 years.

It is very rare to have a big foreign body in the lungs without any complications or symptoms for 2 years. A 14-year-old male with episodes of minor hemoptysis for 4 weeks had a history of inhalation of a bullet 2 years earlier. He had asymptomatic for lung complications for 2 years. The bullet was removed by right thoracotomy and  non-anatomical wedge stapled resection, and he followed an uneventful recovery. An aspirated foreign body although big can remain asymptomatic for a long time, especially if it has migrated to the periphery.

Gastropleural fistula: an unusual sequel of blunt chest trauma.

In the October 2005 Earthquake in mountainous Azad Kashmir and adjacent areas in Pakistan, a young female sustained crush injury chest and upper abdomen. She remained hospitalized with lower chest pain. All initial investigations were normal and she was discharged symptom-free on conservative management. Six months later, she developed acute left sided chest pain and dyspnoea. Provisional diagnosis of empyema was made on X-ray, and tube thoracostomy was done. Diagnostic VATS revealed gastropleural fistula secondary to necrosis of herniated stomach. Resection of necrosed stomach, repair of diaphragm and decortication and transthoracic repair with lower thoracoplasty two months later was performed but both were unsuccessful. After another 02 months, a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy at fistula site was fashioned which proved curative.