Abstract
Pulmonary infarction is rarely diagnosed with certainty except at postmortem examination. Part of this uncertainty is because of the inability to distinguish between hemorrhage, congestive a electasis, and necrosis clinically and radiographically. The pathogenesis of pulmonary infarction is poorly understood. It is dif%cult to induce pulmonary infarction in animals by ligation of the arterial supply to the lung. Many factors seem to be important in its pathogenesis, in addition to congestive heart failure, malignant tumor, thrombophlebitis, chronic obstructive lung disease, nephrotic syndrome, and postopeiative state. However, pulmonary infarction have not been reported in association with chest trauma. We report a case of pulmonary infarction associated with fractures of right clavicle and multiple ribs. A 45-year-old male had admitted due to right chest pain and dyspnea, which developed after right chest trauma occurred at about 3 weeks ago. He was treated at local clinics under the diagnosis of fractures of right clavicle and ribs until the admission. Chest CT disclosed a huge mass with central low density in right upper lobe, and small masses were also seen on both l ng fields. Open lung biopsy resulted in negativity for the malignancy. Clinical symptoms and radiological findings were not improved by conservative treatment. Right upper lobectomy was done eventually. The final diagnosis was pulmonary infarction. And, the patient has been well after operation.
폐경색은 임상적으로나 방사선학적으로 폐암, 폐출혈, 울혈성 무기폐, 단순괴사와 감별이 힘든 질환으로 흉부외상과 관련되어 보고된 예는 없다. 환자는 45세 남자로 약 3주전 흉부외상에 의한 우측의 다발성 늑골골절과 쇄골골절로 치료를 받아오 다가 증상이 점점 악화되어 본원에 전원된 후 우상엽 절제술을 받았으며, 조직검사 결과 폐경 색으로 진 단되었다. 전원 당시 흉부의 컴퓨터 단층활영상 우상엽에 거대한 종괴음영이 있었고, 양측 폐야에 5개 정도의 작 은 결절상 음영이 있었으나 폐 생검에서 암세포는 발견되지 않았고, 우상엽 절제술 당시 대부분의 작은 결절들은 자연 소실되어 있었다 절제된 우상엽에서 육안적으로 인지되는 혈전은 보이지 않았고, 조직검사상 주로 폐동맥의 분지인 0.6 ∼2.0 mm 정도의 근형 동맥들이 혈전에 의해 폐쇄되어 있었으며 일부는 더 진행하여 기질화를 보이거나 혈류의 재소통이 이루어진 곳도 관찰되었다.