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Unilateral Giant Bullae: Pulmonary Placental Transmogrification Should Be Kept in Mind: Case Reports

  • Hamad, Abdel-Mohsen M. (Department of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahd Specialist Hospital) ;
  • Nosseir, Mona M. (Department of Pathology, King Fahd Specialist Hospital) ;
  • Alorainy, Saleh M. (Department of Thoracic Surgery, King Fahd Specialist Hospital)
  • Received : 2020.10.08
  • Accepted : 2020.11.29
  • Published : 2021.10.05

Abstract

Placental transmogrification is a peculiar clinical entity of the lung of uncertain etiology. We report 2 cases of pulmonary placental transmogrification in 2 patients of different nationalities. Both of them had no history of smoking or chronic lung disease. The main presentations were dyspnea and chest pain. Radiologic studies showed a unilateral giant bulla in both patients; additional pneumothorax was present in only 1patient. They underwent surgical bullectomy. Histopathologic studies revealed the presence of intracystic placenta-like villous structures and a diagnosis of placental transmogrification was made. Placental transmogrification should be considered in cases of unilateral bullae.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our grateful appreciation to Prof. Ahmed Elmahrouk, professor of cardiothoracic surgery, for reviewing and editing the English language of the manuscript. We would also like to thank Dr. Anas Alkhalifa, registrar of thoracic surgery, for his assistance in collecting the data.

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