Surgical Management of Pulmonary and Mediastinal Sequelae of Histoplasmosis: A Challenging Spectrum

Venous retrograde approach for endovascular angioplasty in chronic total pulmonary vein occlusion -a case report

INTRODUCTION

Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare disease characterized by excessive proliferation of fibrous tissue in the mediastinum and can cause bronchial stenosis, superior vena cava obstruction, pulmonary artery and vein stenosis, etc. CASE PRESENTATION: An aging patient with intermittent chest tightness and shortness of breath was diagnosed with FM associated pulmonary hypertension (FM-PH) by echocardiography and enhanced CT of the chest, and CT pulmonary artery (PA)/ pulmonary vein (PV) imaging revealed PA and PV stenosis. Selective angiography revealed complete occlusion of the right upper PV, and we performed endovascular intervention of the total occluded PV. After failure of the antegrade approach, the angiogram revealed well-developed collaterals of the occluded RSPV-V2b, so we chose to proceed via the retrograde approach. We successfully opened the occluded right upper PV and implanted a stent.

CONCLUSIONS

This report may provide new management ideas for the interventional treatment of PV occlusion.

Pulmonary Hypertension Caused by Fibrosing Mediastinitis

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive and severe disorder in pulmonary hemodynamics. PH can be fatal if not well managed. Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare and benign fibroproliferative disease in the mediastinum, which may lead to pulmonary vessel compression and PH. PH caused by FM (PH-FM) is a pathologic condition belonging to group 5 in the World Health Organization PH classification. PH-FM has a poor prognosis because of a lack of effective therapeutic modalities and inappropriate diagnosis. With the development of percutaneous pulmonary vascular interventional therapy, the prognosis of PH-FM has been greatly improved in recent years. This article provides a comprehensive review on the epidemiology, pathophysiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and treatment modalities of PH-FM based on data from published reports and our medical center with the goal of facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of this fatal disease.

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PH-FM, as a type of rare condition in group 5 PH, has a poor prognosis because of a lack of effective therapeutic modalities and frequent misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.

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The most prevalent trigger of FM is H-FM in the United States and TB-FM in China.

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Imaging findings, including mismatched perfusion defects in the V/Q scan, FM dyad, and FM triad are important diagnostic clues, and clinical classification facilitates decision making in diagnosis and therapeutics.

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Because of the limited efficacy of drug therapy as well as the uncertain effectiveness and high risk of surgical treatment, endovascular interventional modality is currently the preferred therapeutic option, although procedure-related complications and intrastent restenosis after PV intervention need to be addressed.

Case series of pediatric mediastinal granuloma related to histoplasmosis

INTRODUCTION

Mediastinal granuloma (MG) is a postinfectious complication of histoplasmosis that remains a rare diagnosis in the pediatric literature. This case series presents a well phenotyped population to further characterize this disease process.

METHODS

Thirty cases of MG in children under 21 years-of-age presenting over a 16-year period were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

Seventy-five percent of patients presented with respiratory symptoms. Histoplasma antigen was negative in 90%. Histoplasma antibody was positive in 100%. Fine needle aspirates were positive for histoplasma in 31% whereas excisional biopsy was positive in 71%. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was negative for histoplasma in all cases where performed. Computed tomography revealed 53% of MGs were right paratracheal, 60% had internal calcifications, and 23% had splenic calcifications. Sixteen patients (53%) were managed with medical therapies only, with 7 (44%) treated with steroids and antifungals and 7 (44%) with antifungals alone. The remaining 14 patients (47%) underwent surgical excision and 9 were also treated with antifungals (64%). Bronchial compression was the most common comorbidity within the medically managed only group whereas vascular compression and fistulation were most common within the surgically managed group.

CONCLUSION

Respiratory symptoms should raise suspicion for MG. Diagnostic evidence of MG includes positive histoplasma serologies, right paratracheal location, internal calcifications, and splenic calcifications. Bronchoscopy, BAL and needle biopsies provide minimal diagnostic benefit. Antifungals are used in the majority of cases, whereas steroids are used most often in non-surgically managed patients with airway compression. Indications for surgical resection are less defined, but include vascular compression and fistulation unresponsive to medical treatment.

Broncholithiasis: Treatment Evaluation in 63 Patients

BACKGROUND

Broncholithiasis is a rare disease defined as the presence of calcified material (broncholith) within the tracheobronchial tree. We described our experience in broncholithiasis to provide a more effective clinical basis for the management of this condition.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with broncholithiasis at Xiangya Hospital in China from May 2009 to November 2019.

RESULTS

Sixty-three patients were enrolled in this study with a median age of 57 years. Cough (57.1%) was the most common symptom of broncholithiasis, followed by hemoptysis (23.8%). Tuberculosis was the most common comorbidity (38%), while 21 patients (30.0%) did not exhibit underlying diseases. Broncholiths within the bronchus led to airway dilation (19.0%), obstructive atelectasis (46.0%), and pneumonia (30.2%). The condition of most patients improved after undergoing endoscopic removal (76.5%) of the broncholiths. The condition of three patients (100%) improved after the surgical removal of the broncholiths. Of the 38 patients (60.3%) who failed to receive removal of broncholiths, 16 received anti-infection treatment, and the other 22 received observation. Most patients (50.0%) who were treated with anti-infectives showed an improvement, whereas the condition of 33.3% of patients who did not receive treatment worsened.

CONCLUSION

Broncholithiasis is a benign bronchial disease that can cause complications. Endoscopic removal of broncholiths is considered as initial therapy and surgical removal is suggested as a second-line treatment. Treatment with anti-infectives is required for patients who fail to receive removal of broncholiths.

Esophagectomy in a patient with pulmonary histoplasmosis: A case report of surgical aspects and complications (with video)

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Histoplasmose is an unfrequented associated to esophageal carcinoma.

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Pulmonary disease may interfere in the outcome after esophagectomy.

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Vacuum treatment is a good option after anastomotic leakage.

Introduction

Esophagectomy is a challenging procedure associated with considerable morbidity. Previous pulmonary diseases, such as histoplasmosis fungal infection, may interfere in operative and postoperative outcomes after esophagectomy. Anastomotic leakage is one of the most feared complications after esophagectomy. However, new therapies developed such as vacuum procedure and esophageal prosthesis have been provenly beneficial.

Presentation of case

We present a case with squamous cell carcinoma of the mid esophagus portion on a young patient with a pulmonary histoplasmosis history. After a multidisciplinary board, the patient underwent transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric-pull up and cervical anastomosis due to pulmonary disease. The patient later developed an anastomotic leak with mediastinal abscess. We describe this complication's management via an endoscopic vacuum system, esophageal prosthesis, and exhibit a video illustrating the technique.

Discussion

We illustrate the management of esophageal cancer associated with previous pulmonary disease. Histoplasmosis may misunderstand the esophageal cancer staging, and it can contribute to anastomotic leakage occurrence. An endoscopic vacuum system is an excellent tool for treating esophagogastric anastomosis fistula after esophagectomy, even when the drainage is accumulated in the mediastinum. The esophageal prosthesis may be used after mediastinal abscess resolution.

Conclusion

Treatment of the association of esophageal cancer and histoplasmosis is feasible. However, care should be taken to avoid highly potential postoperative complications.

Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy in Children With Histoplasmosis

BACKGROUND

Mediastinal lymphadenopathy (ML) in children can arise from malignancy, infection, or rheumatic illness among others, and may be found incidentally on imaging or during workup for a variety of symptoms. Our aim was to describe the clinical presentation and natural history of histoplasmosis in children who present to a tertiary care center with ML in an endemic area of the country.

METHODS

After institutional review board approval, a retrospective study of all children (aged < 21 y) presenting with proven (positive serologies) or suspected histoplasmosis (negative serologies, negative tuberculosis testing, and benign outcomes in follow-up) over a 5-y period was done. Seventy-four patients were tested; those with another diagnosis (n = 6) or without ML (n = 26) were excluded, for a total cohort of 44 patients. Demographics, clinical presentation, symptoms, laboratory data, treatment course, radiography studies, and inpatient and outpatient visits were examined.

RESULTS

Of the 44 patients with ML, 27 had proven histoplasmosis, and 19 had suspected histoplasmosis. The median follow-up by imaging or clinical examination was 6.9 mo (0.3-73.2 mo). Sixteen patients received antifungal therapy with itraconazole, and 15 patients received at least one course of steroids, nearly all for respiratory symptoms; 11 patients (24%) received both. There was no difference in readmission rate (n = 5 versus 2, P = 0.7) or recurrence of symptoms (n = 2 versus 5, P = 0.4) between patients who received an antifungal and those that did not. Receiving steroid therapy was associated with airway narrowing and a higher readmission rate (n =6 versus 2 who were not treated with steroids, P = 0.04), but not with symptom recurrence. Nine lymph node or mass biopsies were performed; however, the pathology only confirmed nonspecific infection in three and was nondiagnostic in the remaining six patients. Twenty-seven patients had at least one confirmatory laboratory test positive for histoplasmosis. Thirty-nine of the 44 patients (84%) with a diagnosis of histoplasmosis (proven or suspected) were asymptomatic by 1-2 mo follow up, with the remainder having intermittent chest pain or reactive airway disease.

CONCLUSIONS

ML because of proven or suspected histoplasmosis is usually a self-limiting disease that can be managed with treatment of the child's symptoms. Antifungals and steroids are of unclear benefit and may not alter the natural course of the disease. Biopsies are rarely diagnostic in the setting of ML, and invasive procedures should be avoided.

Multimodality Imaging of Focal and Diffuse Fibrosing Mediastinitis

Fibrosing mediastinitis is a rare benign but potentially life-threatening process that occurs because of proliferation of fibrotic tissue in the mediastinum. The focal subtype is more common and typically is associated with an abnormal immunologic response to Histoplasma capsulatum infection. Affected patients are typically young at presentation, but a wide age range has been reported, without a predilection for either sex. The diffuse form may be idiopathic or associated with autoimmunity, usually affects middle-aged and/or elderly patients, and is more common in men. For both subtypes, patients present with signs and symptoms related to obstruction or compression of vital mediastinal structures. The most common presenting signs and symptoms are cough, dyspnea, recurrent pneumonia, hemoptysis, and pleuritic chest pain. Patients with the diffuse subtype may have additional extrathoracic symptoms depending on the other organ systems involved. Because symptom severity is variable, treatment should be individualized with therapies tailored to alleviate compression of the affected mediastinal structures. Characteristic imaging features of fibrosing mediastinitis include infiltrative mediastinal soft tissue (with or without calcification) with compression or obstruction of mediastinal vascular structures and/or the aerodigestive tract. When identified in the appropriate clinical setting, these characteristic features allow the radiologist to suggest the diagnosis of fibrosing mediastinitis. Careful assessment is crucial at initial and follow-up imaging for exclusion of underlying malignancy, assessment of disease progression, identification of complications, and evaluation of treatment response. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ^©RSNA, 2019.

Surgical management of non-mycobacterial fungal infections

Fungal infections of the lung are common in endemic areas and in immunocompromised patients. Antifungal therapy is the cornerstone of medical therapy for most pulmonary fungi but surgery is an important adjunct in cases of complicated disease or resistant organisms. A multidisciplinary approach including pulmonary medicine, infectious disease, interventional radiology, and thoracic surgery is favored. This article reviews the surgical management of common fungal pulmonary infections and their sequelae.

Management of broncholithiasis

Broncholithiasis is a condition in which calcified material has entered the tracheobronchial tree, at times causing airway obstruction and inflammation. Broncholiths generally originate as calcified material in mediastinal lymph nodes that subsequently erode into adjacent airways, often as a result of prior granulomatous infection. Disease manifestations range from asymptomatic stones in the airway to life-threatening complications, including massive hemoptysis and post-obstructive pneumonia. Radiographic imaging, particularly computed tomography scanning of the chest, is integral in the evaluation of suspected broncholithiasis and can be helpful to assess involvement of adjacent structures, including vasculature, prior to any planned intervention. Management strategies largely depend on the severity of disease. Observation is warranted in asymptomatic cases, while therapeutic bronchoscopy and surgical interventions may be necessary for cases involving complications. Bronchoscopic extraction is often feasible in cases in which the broncholith is freely mobile within the airway, whereas partially-embedded broncholiths represent additional challenges. Surgical intervention is indicated for advanced cases deemed not amenable to endoscopic management. Complex cases involving complications such as massive hemoptysis and/or bronchomediastinal fistula formation are best managed with a multidisciplinary approach, utilizing expertise from fields such as pulmonology, radiology, and thoracic surgery.

Right Middle Lobe Collapse and Pleural Effusion in an 18-Year-Old Man

An 18-year-old African American male subject presented to an acute care clinic with 3 days of productive cough, chills, pleuritic right chest pain, sore throat with hoarseness, congestion, and intermittent shortness of breath. He recently relocated to Texas from Georgia to undergo basic military training. He denied any other recent travel or contact with persons with pulmonary TB or other respiratory illnesses. His medical history was significant for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and sickle cell trait.

Clinical Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Management of Histoplasmosis

With increasing numbers of travelers and immunocompromised patients, histoplasmosis, caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, has become a disease of national extent. The clinical spectrum of histoplasmosis is very wide, in terms of disease cadence, onset, distribution, and severity. A multipronged approach is recommended for diagnosis. Manifestations that are always treated include moderate to severe acute pulmonary histoplasmosis, disseminated disease, and histoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals. Amphotericin B is the drug of choice for moderate to severe and disseminated presentations, whereas itraconazole is appropriate for mild disease and as step-down therapy.

Thoracoscopic pneumonectomy in management of histoplasmosis and fibrosing mediastinitis

Pulmonary histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited respiratory illness in endemic areas. Fibrosing mediastinitis is a severe chronic complication of pulmonary histoplasmosis in which pulmonary vessels and airways can be compressed with the potential for life-threatening implications. We present a 50-year-old male patient who presented with a total occlusion of the left pulmonary artery due to fibrosing mediastinitis.

Fibrosing mediastinitis: an unusual cause of pulmonary symptoms

Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM), also known as granulomatous or sclerosing mediastinitis, is an uncommon but serious cause of chest symptoms. Due to an infectious or inflammatory challenge, production of collagen occurs in the confined space of the mediastinum. Collagen formation leads to compression of vital structures, resulting in cough, chest pain and dyspnea. The majority of cases of FM occur as a result of prior exposure to Histoplasma capsulatum. The following is a case of a previously healthy young woman who presented with a 3-month history of cough, chest pain and trouble breathing, and was subsequently found to have fibrosing mediastinitis. Fibrosing mediastinitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cough, chest pain and dyspnea, primarily when findings such as increased venous pressure are present on physical exam and hilar abnormalities are seen on chest radiograph. Clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of fibrosing mediastinitis are discussed.

Surgery for other pulmonary fungal infections, Actinomyces, and Nocardia

Surgical participation in the management of fungal infections has changed since the advent of effective antimicrobials. Even so, a surgeon may be called on for a variety of reasons, depending on the specific fungal infection and the evolution of thoracic disease. Specific fungal infections are enumerated. Each organism, its clinical picture, and method of diagnosis are briefly described and the medical and surgical management of thoracic disease are discussed.

Broncholithiasis From Histoplasmosis in a Pediatric Patient: Case Reports and Review of Literature

Broncholithiasis is a calcification in the airway. Though broncholiths are not common, it is even more unusual in a pediatric patient. We present a 15-year-old immunocompetent pediatric patient who had a broncholith that was found and removed by bronchoscopy.

Fibrosing mediastinitis: clinical presentation, therapeutic outcomes, and adaptive immune response

Fibrosing mediastinitis (FM) is a rare disorder characterized by the invasive proliferation of fibrous tissue within the mediastinum. FM frequently results in the compression of vital mediastinal structures and has been associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Its pathogenesis remains unknown. However, in North America most cases are thought to represent an immune-mediated hypersensitivity response to Histoplasma capsulatum infection. To characterize the clinical disease spectrum, natural disease progression, responses to therapy, and overall survival, we retrospectively analyzed all 80 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of FM evaluated at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, from 1998 to 2007. Furthermore, we characterized the adaptive immune response in 15 representative patients by immunohistochemistry. The majority of patients presented with nonspecific respiratory symptoms due to the compression of mediastinal broncho-vascular structures. Chest radiographic imaging most frequently revealed localized, invasive, and frequently calcified right-sided mediastinal masses. Most patients had radiographic or serologic evidence of previous histoplasmosis. In contrast to earlier reports summarizing previously reported FM cases, the clinical course of our patients appeared to be more benign and less progressive. The overall survival was similar to that of age-matched controls. There were only 5 deaths, 2 of which were attributed to FM. These differences may reflect publication bias associated with the preferential reporting of more severely affected FM patients in the medical literature, as well as the more inclusive case definition used in our consecutive case series. Surgical and nonsurgical interventions effectively relieved symptoms caused by the compression of mediastinal vascular structures in these carefully selected patients. In contrast, antifungal and antiinflammatory agents appeared ineffective. Histologic examination and immunostaining revealed mixed inflammatory infiltrates consistent with a fibroinflammatory tissue response in these histoplasmosis-associated FM cases. The immune cell infiltrates included large numbers of CD20-positive B lymphocytes. As B lymphocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease, therapeutic B-cell depletion should be investigated as a therapeutic strategy for FM.

Epidemiology of endemic systemic fungal infections in Latin America

Although endemic mycoses are a frequent health problem in Latin American countries, clinical and epidemiological data remain scarce and fragmentary. These mycoses have a significant impact on public health, and early diagnosis and appropriate treatment remain important. The target population for endemic disease in Latin America is mostly represented by low-income rural workers with limited access to a public or private health system. Unfortunately, diagnostic tools are not widely available in medical centers in Latin America; consequently, by the time patients are diagnosed with fungal infection, many are already severely ill. Among immunocompromised patients, endemic mycoses usually behave as opportunistic infections causing disseminated rather than localized disease. This paper reviews the epidemiology of the most clinically significant endemic mycoses in Latin America: paracoccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and coccidioidomycosis. The burdens of disease, typically affected populations, and clinical outcomes also are discussed.