Two Cases of Interstitial Infiltrates with Hyperinflation: Clinical Conference in Pulmonary Disease from the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus

Abstract

A 34-year-old woman was transferred to The Ohio State University Hospitals for evaluation of recurrent pneumothoraces. She was in good health until approximately one year prior to admission when she developed acute shortness of breath and was found to have left pneumothorax. Her chest roentgenogram also revealed diffuse interstitial infiltrates. Over the next year she had two right pneumothoraces and four left pneumothoraces treated successfully with chest tube drainage. Serial chest roentgenograms revealed a persistent, diffuse interstitial pattern. Her past medical history was unremarkable including no previous cigarette use and a normal menstrual history. At the time of admission, auscultation of the lungs revealed bilateral, diffuse rales and decreased breath sounds over the right hemithorax. There was also a grade 2/6 systolic ejection murmur audible in the cardiac apex. There was no cyanosis, clubbing, or peripheral edema.