Successful treatment of Pseudomembranous necrotizing Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia

Abstract

Introduction. Pseudomembranous necrotizing Aspergillus tracheobronchitis is a rare form of pulmonary aspergillosis which occurs in immunocompromised patients. Case Outline. A female patient aged 71, suffering from acute myeloid leukemia, developed the symptoms of progressive shortness of breath and inspiratory stridor. The diagnosis in our case was made on the histological findings from tissues obtained by bronchoscopy. A chest CT scan suggested the state of the compromised trachea and left principal bronchus lumen. The long-term regimen with itraconazole in the dose of 400 mg/24 hours proved efficient in our patient. Conclusion. Progressive shortness of breath and inspiratory stridor in immunocompromised patients along with radiological and CT changes should be also considered as pulmonary aspergillosis in differential diagnosis. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175056]

Keywords

• aspergillosis
• acute myeloid leukemia
• trachea
• large bronchi
• immunodeficiency
• antifungal medicament