Respiratory medicine case reports
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Respir Med Case Rep · Jan 2019
Case ReportsTuberculosis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a rare but known cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with a high mortality. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) may be an alternative option for treating TB-induced ARDS. However, the literature on TB-induced ARDS treated with VV-ECMO is limited and the most of them were prolonged therapy. ⋯ He was weaned from ECMO on the 5th day of ECMO support and was extubated at the 8th day. He was discharged from hospital on the 47th hospitalized day and continued anti-TB medication at home. VV-ECMO is effective for TB-induced ARDS even in short-term administration if progression of ARDS is rapid.
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Respir Med Case Rep · Jan 2019
Case ReportsA case report of severe hypothermia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome has not been a described complication of hypothermia. Causes of hypothermia are commonly associated with alcohol abuse and infection, both of which could lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. ⋯ On review of the literature, severe hypothermia has been found to cause pulmonary edema in post-mortem studies, but acute respiratory distress syndrome has not yet been recognized as a known complication. Our case highlights that acute respiratory distress syndrome may be multifactorial in etiology and related to complications of severe hypothermia.
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Respir Med Case Rep · Jan 2019
Case ReportsCervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum secondary to dental treatment in a young man.
The occurrence of cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum is very rare but can be potentially life-threatening. These complications can happen during or after bronchoscopic or dental procedures, esophageal rupture or perforation, infections involving the head and neck and alveolar rupture in the setting of an inciting event such as asthma. ⋯ We report a 36-year-old male who underwent dental treatment for a fractured left lower molar tooth and subsequently developed extensive subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum. The purpose of this report is to bring attention to the fact that obtaining an accurate diagnosis for this condition is very important and management in a timely manner can prevent serious complications.
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Respir Med Case Rep · Jan 2019
Case ReportsLung injury from inhaling butane hash oil mimics pneumonia.
"Dabbing", a relatively new form of THC use which utilizes Butane Hash Oil (BHO), an extraction of dried cannabis containing high levels of butane and terpene byproducts. The extraction process yields a waxy substance that is heated, vaporized and inhaled. We describe a lung injury as a result of BHO use. ⋯ Heating BHO to high temperatures, releases up to 75% of THC, compared to 5-20% THC in traditional smoked cannabis. At 978°F terpenes degrade into methacrolein and benzene. Methacrolein is structurally similar to acrolein, a pulmonary irritant, which causes acute lung injury and pulmonary edema in laboratory animals. We hypothesize a mechanism of lung injury and acute respiratory failure secondary to inhalation of high levels of methacrolein and benzene related to relatively novel phenomena of BHO use.