Pulmonary Hemorrhage with Progressive Massive Fibrosis in a Silicosis Patient: An Autopsy Case

Abstract

Workers exposed to free silica develop nodular or stellate fibrotic lesions in the lungs that may coalesce into conglomerate or confluent lesions called progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). This lesion also complicate other pneumoconioses, including asbestosis, coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, or mixed dust fibrosis. 3) PMF is inherently progressive, once started it tends to increase fairly rapidly. Patients with PMF are often noted to be hypoxic at rest and are prone to mycobacterial infections and spontaneous pneumothoraces and may ultimately develop fatal respiratory failure. However, massive hemoptysis is rarely associated with PMF. Massive hemoptysis, which is perhaps best defined as bleeding into the bronchial tree at a rate that poses a threat to life, is associated with considerable mortality unless treated aggressively. We herein present an autopsy case of a silicosis patient who was complicated with PMF died with massive hemoptysis and review the reported similar cases by analyzing the papers.