Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis Secondary to Pulmonary Venous Hypertension

Abstract

A housewife 29 years of age complained of increasing dyspnea, productive cough, and wheezing respiration. A characteristic murmur of mitral stenosis was noted. The pulmonary function studies with arterial oxygen determinations suggested the diagnosis of interstitial fibrosis; and catheterization of the right heart revealed pulmonary vascular hypertension. The lung biopsy showed chronic granulomatous inflammation. With surgery a pedunculated mass was found in the left atrium, and removed. Six months following surgery the respiratory symptoms and alveolar capillary block disappeared but the interstitial fibrosis persisted, as observed in the x-rays. It appears that the interstitial fibrosis and capillary block were due to pulmonary venous obstruction, the precipitating factor being left atrial myxoma.