• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.616-620
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• 2002

Tracheal bronchus is a aberrant, accessory or ectopic bronchus arising almost invariably from the right lateral wall of the trachea and nay be related to inflammatory conditions affecting the lung, including recurrent pneumonia and bronchiectasis. Recently we experienced a case of tracheal bronchus associated with pulmonary actinomycosis. The 37-year-old male patient had suffered recurrent hemoptysis and had been medicated as a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculosis, but neither clinical nor radiologic improvement was not seen. Right upper lobectomy was performed and pulmonary actinomycosis was confirmed by the histologic examination. Postoperatively, the patient was medicated with penicillin and ampicillin for 3 months and completely recovered without any evidence of recurrence during the 6-month followup period.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1220-1224
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• 1991

A 39 year-old woman presenting with a hemoptysis, pulmonary infiltrate was found to have thoracic actinomycosis by the specimens of excised lung. Recently, pulmonary actinomycosis is very rare by the widespread use of antibiotics. Clinical, radiological, and microbiological findings can be nonspecific. The diagnosis is dependent on a high index of suspicion. Chances for cure are excellent with lengthy antibiotic administration. The purpose of this paper is to review our experience and to remind us of pulmonary actinomycosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.579-583
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• 2004

Actinomycosis is an indolent infectious disease characterized by pyogenic response and necrosis, followed by intense fibrosis. The main forms of human actinomycosis are cervicofacial, pulmonary, and abdominopelvic type. Pulmonary actinomycosis accounts for 15% to 20% of total cases and unfortunately, clinical manifestations and radiologic findings are nonspecific. Small pleural effusion or empyema may develop in advanced disease but massive empyema is infrequent and rarely reported. We report a case of huge empyema caused by pulmonary actinomycosis in a 55 year-old man, presented with one-month history of productive cough and fever. The CT scan revealed a huge cavity with air-fluid level occupying the left hemithorax. Empyema caused by actinomycosis was confirmed microscopically by demonstration of sulfur granules in empyema sac through thracotomy. Decortication and surgical resection of empyema sac and destructed lung was accomplished and followed by intravenous infusion of penicillin G.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.210-215
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• 2004

Pulmonary aneurysm is a rare vascular anomaly.Infection is one of major causes of pulmonary aneurysms. Pulmonary aneurysm by pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare case. Our case is maybe the first case in Korea,so far similar case has not been reported Worldwide written in English. We describe a 73-year-old man with aneurysm of pulmonary artery caused by actinomycosis infection on lung. We detected aneurysm by angiography of pulmonary artery, and actinomycosis infection was revealed by confirm sulfur granules on specimens taken by percutaneous needle aspiration(PCNA). Antibiotic therapy was applied to this patient and aneurym was embolized with coils.With this therapy,the patient was successfully managed and improved.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.419-422
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• 1995

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a chronic pulmonary infection characterized by suppuration, abscess formation, and dense scarring. The causative agent, Actinomyces israelii, is a gram-positive, microaerophilic bacterium that resemble fungi. We recently treated two cases of pulmonary actinomycosis. A patient was underwent right lower lobectomy under the impression of bronchiectasis. Pulmonary actinomycosis was diagnosed of postoperatively. He was medicated with high-dose penicillin parenterally. The other patient was also undergone right lower lobectomy under the impression of broncholithiasis and received parenteral penicillin and oral roxythromycin. There was no recurrence or development of empyema. The purpose of this paper is to review of our experience and to enhance consideration of pulmonary actinomycosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.255-260
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• 1992

A pulmonary actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative disease which leads to abscess formation and fibrosis it was caused by aspiration of contaminated material from to mouth or oropharynx. Recently pulmonary actinomycosis is very rare by widespread use of antibiotics. Clinically, patients with pulmonary actinomycosis initially experience nonproductive coughing and low grade fever, but pulmonary complaints can be minimal. We report a case of pulmonary actinomycosis associated with hemoptysis which was confirmed by lobectomy with a review of literature.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.315-317
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• 2002

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare disease entity to undergo thoracic surgery. We experienced a 49-year-old man with pulmonary actinomycosis who was admitted due to recurrent hemoptysis. Prior to admission, he was diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis on the basis of his clinical manifestations and chest radiological findings. The plain chest x-ray and chest computed tomography(CT) showed a cavitary lesion in left upper lobe and was given anti-tuberculous medication, but the x-ray revealed no imprcovement. He underwent left upper lobe lobectomy with segmentectomy of lower lobe and the surgical specimen showed no evidence of mycobacterial infection, but revealed sulfur granules which is a typical pathological finding of actinomycosis. He was discharged uneventfully and is scheduled to receive 6 months of antibiotic treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.914-916
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• 2002

Actinomycosis of the lung is a chronic, suppurative granulomatous infection which is caused by Actinomyces israelii. It is believed to enter the thorax by way of the bronchial tree, by aspiration of contaminated aerosol particles in the upper digestive tract. Symptoms of chronic cough, sputum, hemoptysis, low grade fever, chest pain, and weight loss are common. Chest X-ray shows mass like lesion, pulmonary infiltration, abscess, and tuberculosis like lesion, which makes differential diagnosis from lung cancer very difficult. Surgical intervention is needed for the diagnosis and treatment, and diagnosis of actinomycosis is achieved when histologic examination reveals sulfur granules containing filamentous organisms. Penicillin is the drug of choice. Two or three months of penicillin treatment is recommended to treat the oropharyngeal or dental abscess to avoid recurrences. We present a case of actinomycosis which is suspected to malignant with review of literatures.