Chronic cough and the use of indoor
'plug-ins'
by Veronica Varney
The British Thoracic Society has issued recommendations on the management of cough in adults
(September 2006). They confirm that chronic cough is common, and affects up to 16% of the
population with a female predominance. Common causes are discussed and include smoking,
asthma, rhinitis, and reflux with obesity and side effects of drugs. Their management/treatments
are reviewed. Exposure to pollutants and environmental irritants are stated as aggravating factors,
with outdoor pollution from traffic and allergens mentioned in outline. This report includes
four cases of cough which ceased after indoor ‘plug ins’ were switched off; these devices
release aerosols of perfumed fragrances into the environment for a persistent pleasant odour
of flowers. (Respiratory Medicine; 28th March 2007) More...
Pneumothorax and Birt–Hogg–Dube
syndrome: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects
by S. N. Andrews, R. Krishnadas, R. G. Berrisford and P. O. Froeschle
We report a case of spontaneous recurrent pneumothorax in a 32-year-old male with a family history of Birt–Hogg–Dube syndrome. Specific aspects of the surgical treatment for a
pneumothorax within this particular setting are discussed as well as the potential underdiagnosis
of this complex genodermatosis. The literature linking the syndrome to spontaneous pneumothorax
is reviewed. (Respiratory Medicine, Thoracic Surgery; 1st March 2007) More...
Scalp metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of lung
by Li-Cher Loh, Sree Raman, Suryani Mohd Yusoff, Wan Azura Wan
Yaacob and Shalini Kumar
We report a case of a 53-year-old man with a solitary nodular
growth on the scalp in the right temporal region, noted during
his hospital admission for bilateral knee replacement. A chest
X-ray revealed a large circumscribed opacity in the left lung
field. Bronchoscopy revealed a tumour at the carina. Histology
of biopsies from the bronchoscopy and the scalp lesion showed an
identical moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The
patient survived 2.5 months after the onset of symptoms. While
skin metastasis is recognised but rare in primary lung cancer,
metastasis to the scalp is particularly unusual. (April 2005) More...
Chest wall implantation of lung cancer following chest tube
drainage of a pleural effusion
by Li-Cher Loh, Tarmizi Thayaparan, Suryani Mohd Yusoff, Rosna Yunus and Shalini Kumar
A 67-year-old man with a lung mass developed a large painful chest wall swelling adjacent to a chest drainage tube site. The swelling occurred after a second chest drain was performed for a rapidly relapsing pleural effusion, and the biopsy showed that it was an adenocarcinoma. We conclude that chest wall tumour implantation was caused by the chest tube drainage of the malignant pleural effusion, and that this accelerated the patient's deterioration. Our case illustrates the possibility of chest tube seeding of tumour cells from pleura to chest wall.(March 2005) More...
A breakthrough in the treatment
of empyema: what we have learnt 50 years on from Tillett and Sherry’s
original case report by N C Barnes,
S M Benjamin
The scientists William S. Tillett and
Sol Sherry were responsible for the introduction of intrapleural
fibrinolytics as therapeutic agents, thus supplementing antimicrobial
therapy in the treatment of empyema. (Respiratory
Medicine; Landmark Case Reports; April 2004)
More...
An unusual
cause of difficult asthma: talc granulomatous disease
by A. R. L. Medford, M. N. Sheppard, A. G. Nicholson, D. M. Geddes
and G. D. Phillips
A 44-year-old
woman presented with poorly controlled asthma and nodular radiological
changes. A VATS lung biopsy confirmed talc granulomatous disease
possibly related to her previous work as a dental technician.
A detailed occupational history is mandatory. Talc granulomatous
disease is one important alternative diagnosis in poorly controlled
asthma. (January
2005) More...
Concurrent infection with pulmonary
nocardiosis and Salmonella bovis bacteraemia in a previously healthy
female
We report the case of a woman from sub-Saharan
Africa who presented with pyrexia, pulmonary lesions and a urinary
tract infection (UTI). She was found to have multiple infections,
i.e. Salmonella bovis bacteraemia, Escherichia coli UTI, and pulmonary
nocardiosis. In the presence of lymphopaenia, a Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) antibody test was performed and was positive. (February
2004) More...
An Unusual Primary Pulmonary Carcinoma
ACC is an unusual pulmonary neoplasm,
accounting for 0.09%-0.2% of all lung cancers. It is a low-grade
tumour with unusual histological features and rarely metastasises
outside the lungs. We describe a case with bilateral renal metastases.
(July 2002)
More...
A case of Mycobacterium
avium-intracellulare pulmonary disease and Crohn's disease
A 48-year old man with a case of pulmonary
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) subsequently developed
Crohn's disease. (May 2002) More...
