Pleural abnormalities in COVID-19: a narrative review

Computed tomography imaging-guided parasternal approach drainage for children with tension pneumomediastinum: a case series

PURPOSE

Tension pneumomediastinum is a rare and dangerous complication in children that can be fatal, and timely detection and treatment are critical. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of computed tomography (CT) imaging-guided parasternal approach drainage for tension pneumomediastinum in children.

METHODS

From June 2018 to February 2023, we consecutively enrolled 19 children with tension pneumomediastinum in our institution. A pigtail catheter was inserted into the anterior mediastinum by a CT imaging-guided parasternal approach. The catheter was connected to a negative-pressure water seal bottle to drain the pneumomediastinum. Clinical data and outcomes were summarized.

RESULTS

The mean age was 3.1 ± 3.4 years, the mean weight was 15 ± 9.1 kg, the mean procedure time was 11.8 ± 2.4 min, and the drainage time was 6.7 ± 3.4 days. No major complications were identified, such as haemothorax, catheter displacement, or mediastinal infection. Effective drainage was obtained in all patients as assessed by comparing images and ventilatory parameters, and no additional surgical treatment was needed. There was no recurrence during the follow-up, which was more than 2 months. In our data, two children with COVID-19 were discharged from the hospital after effective drainage and other clinical treatment.

CONCLUSION

CT-guided parasternal approach drainage is safe, minimally invasive, and effective for children with tension pneumomediastinum.

Coronavirus disease 2019 and malaria coinfection in a middle-aged Ethiopian woman presenting with acute febrile illness and bilateral pleural effusion: a case report

INTRODUCTION

There could be misdiagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 for malaria and vice versa because of their similar presentations, particularly when clinicians rely mainly on symptoms for diagnosis. Coinfection with coronavirus disease 2019 and malaria is associated with increased all-cause in-hospital mortality compared with isolated infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Presentation with pleural effusion adds another challenge in the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019.

CASE PRESENTATION

This is a 57-year-old black Ethiopian woman who presented with symptoms of acute febrile illness associated with shortness of breath and coughing. Physical examination was remarkable for fever, hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, oxygen desaturation, decreased air entry, and dullness over bilateral lower one-third of the chest. Peripheral blood smear revealed ring-form trophozoites of Plasmodium falciparum; chest X-ray showed bilateral pleural effusion and chest computed tomography revealed bilateral ground-glass opacities and consolidations involving all lung zones with bilateral moderate pleural effusion. She was managed with supportive treatments, antimalarial agents, and antibiotics. Rapid antigen test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was negative at the time of her presentation to the emergency department, but polymerase chain reaction testing for coronavirus disease 2019 turned out to be positive after admission to the medical ward.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of coronavirus disease 2019 and malaria coinfection in any patient who is from malaria-endemic area and presenting with acute febrile illness symptoms such as fever and headache and respiratory complaints like shortness of breath and cough. Alhough viral etiologies such as coronavirus disease 2019 are rare causes of bilateral pleural effusion, they should be considered after ruling out other common causes.

Incidence of Air Leak Syndrome in Pediatric Patients With SARS-COV-2 Pneumonia and Respiratory Failure: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Air leak syndrome (ALS) is defined as the extrusion of air from an aerated compartment into an unaerated compartment with associated symptoms of respiratory distress. This syndrome can occur as a consequence of trauma, iatrogenic causes, or spontaneously. Retrospective investigations conducted in the adult population have demonstrated an elevated risk of spontaneous ALS development in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, along with its correlation with mortality. However, no studies have yet explored this phenomenon within the pediatric population. In light of this knowledge gap, we conducted a retrospective chart review comprising 128 pediatric patients ranging in age from one month to 18 years. The primary objective was to assess the incidence of ALS in two distinct groups: patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and those with non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia. The groups were compared using Fisher's exact test for sex, the presence of ALS, the requirement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and death. The modified Wald method was used to calculate the 95% confidence interval for the mortality rate in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in the presence of ALS. Our findings revealed a higher prevalence of ALS in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia compared to the non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia group, with a statistically significant P-value of 0.02 and an odds ratio (OR) of 6.72. In terms of mortality rates, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.025, OR = 1.083). In addition, in patients with ALS in the presence of COVID-19 pneumonia, the mortality rate was 37.5%. However, the requirement of ECMO was not statistically significant (P = 0.16, OR = 1.04). These results suggest that patients with COVID-19 pneumonia have an increased mortality rate and a heightened risk of developing ALS compared to individuals with other viral pneumonias. Furthermore, the presence of ALS was associated with a high mortality rate in COVID-19 pneumonia patients. However, it is crucial to note that obtaining a larger patient sample and involving multiple institutions would be necessary to obtain more consistent and robust data.

Case report: Spontaneous hemothorax following anticoagulation for microthrombi in severe COVID pneumonia

Background

Anticoagulant therapy has become a hallmark of treatment for critically ill COVID patients. Gastrointestinal and intracranial hemorrhage are known major complications of anticoagulation, but spontaneous hemothorax is a rare event, particularly in the absence of pre-existing structural lung disease, vascular malformations, or genetic bleeding diatheses. Herein is a case of spontaneous hemothorax following anticoagulation for microthrombi in a patient with acute hypoxic respiratory failure due to Covid pneumonia.

Case presentation

A 49 year old male with hypertension, asthma, and obesity was admitted for acute hypoxic respiratory failure due to Covid pneumonia. He was treated with dexamethasone, baricitinib, and therapeutic enoxaparin as empiric therapy for severe COVID disease. He subsequently developed a massive right hemothorax with associated hemorrhagic shock, which required initiation of massive transfusion protocol, vasopressor support and mechanical ventilation. No clear etiology for the hemothorax was determined upon investigations. The patient eventually improved and was discharged to a skilled nursing facility on chronic oxygen therapy.

Conclusions

Various mechanisms have been proposed for the development of non-traumatic hemothoraces, including tearing of adhesions and rupture of vascularized bullae. Such explanations find support in radiologic and pathologic studies of pleural changes in Covid pneumonia, and likely played a role in the hemorrhage experienced by our patient.

Pleural Effusion as a Negative Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis and COVID-19

We conducted a retrospective multicentre study to investigate the association between acute pancreatitis, COVID-19, and pleural effusion. The study involved a total of 433 patients. Among them, 405 patients did not have COVID-19 infection, while 28 patients had both acute pancreatitis and COVID-19. Out of the 28 patients with both conditions, 12 also had pleural effusion. Among the 405 patients with acute pancreatitis without COVID-19, 48 had pleural effusion. The results showed that the relative risk of death associated with pleural effusion was approximately 4 times higher in patients with COVID-19 and pleural effusion compared to those with pleural effusion without COVID-19.

Outcomes of Thoracoscopic Lobectomy after Recent COVID-19 Infection

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 outbreak had a massive impact on lung cancer patients with the rise in the incidence and mortality of lung cancer.

METHODS

We evaluated whether a recent COVID-19 infection affected the outcome of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer using a retrospective observational mono-centric study conducted between January 2020 and August 2022. Postoperative complications and 90-day mortality were reported. We compared lung cancer patients with a recent history of COVID-19 infection prior to thoracoscopic lobectomy to those without recent COVID-19 infection. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-three consecutive lung cancer patients were enrolled. Of these 30 (19%), had a history of recent COVID-19 infection prior to surgery. COVID-19 was not associated with a higher complication rate or 90-day mortality. Patients with recent COVID-19 infection had more frequent pleural adhesions (p = 0.006). There were no differences between groups regarding postoperative complications, conversion, drain removal time, total drainage output, and length of hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 infection did not affect the outcomes of thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer. The treatment of these patients should not be delayed in case of recent COVID-19 infection and should not differ from that of the general population.

A Single-Center Experience on the Treatment Outcomes of Patients with COVID-19-Pleural Disorders: Lessons for the Future

Background

Pleural disorders in novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), responsible for the deaths of more than 6.7 million people worldwide, are relatively uncommon and underappreciated findings. The severity of the pleural disease in these patients correlates with the treatment outcome and overall prognosis.

Objective

We aim to review our experience with treatment modalities and prognosis in 45 patients with COVID-19, who were treated at our Clinic between April 2020 and October 2021.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, single-center, cross-sectional study. Demographic data, the type of thoracosurgical intervention(s), and treatment outcome for 45 patients included in this study were recorded for every patient. We analyzed the type and number of treatment modalities according to the pleural disorder, and the outcome of the treatment.

Results

Pneumothorax was the most common COVID-19-related pleural disorder, followed by the pleural effusion. Tube thoracostomy was the mainstay of treatment, performed in 84.4% of patients with unilateral pleural complications. In total, 20% of our patients were on mechanical ventilation, and all of them had a fatal outcome. We found statistical significance in comparison to the percentage of fatal outcomes between patients treated with and without mechanical ventilation (p=0.000).

Conclusion

COVID-19-related pleural disorders are prognostic markers of disease progression. Mechanically ventilated patients who require tube thoracostomy have an unfavorable prognosis.

Vaping Associated Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia: A Clinical and Radiologic Mimicker of COVID-19

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare cause of respiratory failure. It is primarily a disease of smokers, either a new smoker or an existing one with a recent increase in cigarette consumption. Other risk factors include toxic gas exposure, inhalational illicit drugs, and smoking marijuana. AEP has also been reported in patients with e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury (EVALI). We present the case of a 20-year-old male who presented to the hospital with acute respiratory failure. The patient has been vaping heavily for the past three months and started smoking three days before presenting to the emergency department. He was hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and required high-flow nasal cannula to maintain SpO2 > 92%. His condition deteriorated in the first 24 hours following hospitalization requiring noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed an eosinophil count of 36%. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology revealed lipid-laden macrophages. He was diagnosed with AEP due to EVALI, and the patient was treated with high dose corticosteroid with subsequent improvement. Before the bronchoscopic evaluation, the clinical and radiologic findings were consistent with COVID-19, and the patient was tested twice for SARS-CoV-2 PCR. In the appropriate clinical setting, AEP should be considered in the differential diagnoses of community-acquired pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and COVID-19, especially in this pandemic era.

Fatal Pyopneumothorax in a COVID-19 Patient

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives since its start in December 2019. Among various COVID-19 complications, pleural complications are also increasingly reported but rarely from Nepal. Here, we presented a case of pyopneumothorax in a 52-year-old male patient referred from another center and admitted to the ICU of Nepal Armed Police Force Hospital with a diagnosis of severe COVID-19 pneumonia in the background of alcohol withdrawal syndrome with delirium tremens and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. He developed a rapid decline in respiratory status with a right-sided pneumothorax and underwent an immediate needle thoracostomy, followed by chest tube insertion. On the sixth day of admission, he had thick yellowish pus in the chest drain (pyopneumothorax), and despite the rigorous efforts in treatment, he died on the 15th day of admission. Though relatively uncommon, clinicians should consider pleural complications like pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumomediastinum, and empyema in patients with impaired immune status. In such patients, we should ensure prompt diagnosis with the earliest intervention and rationale use of antibiotics.

Correlation of Lung Damage on CT Scan with Laboratory Inflammatory Markers in COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Study from Romania

(1) Background: This study aims to evaluate the association of CRP, NLR, IL-6, and Procalcitonin with lung damage observed on CT scans; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among 106 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Timisoara Municipal Emergency Hospital. Chest CT and laboratory analysis were performed in all patients. The rank Spearmen correlation was used to assess the association between inflammatory markers and lung involvement. In addition, ROC curve analysis was used to determine the accuracy of inflammatory markers in the diagnosis of severe lung damage; (3) Results: CRP, NLR, and IL-6 were significantly positively correlated with lung damage. All inflammatory markers had good accuracy for diagnosis of severe lung involvement. Moreover, IL-6 has the highest AUC- ROC curve; (4) Conclusions: The inflammatory markers are associated with lung damage and can be used to evaluate COVID-19 severity.

Indications, Clinical Utility, and Safety of Bronchoscopy in COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Bronchoscopy is an aerosol-generating procedure and routine use for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been discouraged. The purpose of this review was to discuss the indications, clinical utility, and risks associated with bronchoscopy in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia.

METHODS

A literature search was performed by using appropriate key terms to identify all relevant articles from medical literature databases up to August 1, 2021.

RESULTS

Twelve cohorts (9 retrospective and 3 prospective) reported the performance of 2,245 bronchoscopies in 1,345 patients with COVID-19. The majority of the subjects were male. Nearly two thirds of the bronchoscopies (62%) were performed for therapeutic indications; the rest (38%) were for diagnostic purposes. Bronchoalveolar lavage had an overall yield of 33.1% for SARS-CoV-2 in subjects with negative results of real-time polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal specimens. The incidence of a secondary infection ranged from 9.3% to as high as 65%. Antibiotics were changed in a significant number of the subjects (14%-83%) based on the bronchoscopic findings. Bronchoscopy was well tolerated in most subjects except those who required noninvasive ventilation, in whom the intubation rate after the procedure was 60%. The rate of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among health-care workers was minimum.

CONCLUSIONS

Bronchoscopy in patients with COVID-19 results in a significant change in patient management. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be low with consistent use of appropriate personal protective equipment by health-care workers. Therefore, bronchoscopic evaluation should be considered for all diagnostic and therapeutic indications in this patient population.

Bilateral parapneumonic pleural effusion with pneumothorax in a patient with covid 19 pneumonia: case report

Recurrent pyogenic effusion combined with bilateral pneumothorax is a rare complication associated with the COVID−19 infection. Current article presents the case report of a 68-year-old male with the severe community-acquired bilateral polysegmental viral COVID−19 pneumonia. Chest radiography on the 15th day after admission to the hospital showed the presence of air and pleural effusion in the right pleural cavity with collapse of the right lung. Thoracentesis and thoracostomy in the sixth intercostal space on the mid-axillary line were performed. About 1400 ml of a yellowish opaque liquid were evacuated from the pleural cavity. Pleural fluid analysis confirmed an exudative lymphocytic-rich effusion with no growth of acid-fast bacteria (AFB). In the pleural fluid such gram-negative bacteria as Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were cultured. Chest computed tomography obtained on the third day after thoracentesis showed radiological sings of bilateral hydropneumothorax. Needle thoracocentesis and new pleural drainage in the second intercostal space on the right midclavicular line were established. Five days later after the second drainage of the pleural space was initiated the patient was diagnosed with pleural empyema and transferred to the Surgical Clinic. This case report highlights that in patients with COVID-19 recurrent pyogenic effusion combined with bilateral pneumothorax may occur.

Unusual Presentation of a Rare Pneumothorax in a Patient With COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Case Report

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory and systemic disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, pneumothorax (PTX) has only been reported as a complication of the virus-induced pneumonia in less than 1% of cases. The majority of them developed symptoms in the setting of either an underlying history of lung disease or being placed on a mechanical ventilator during admission. The authors report a unique case of PTX in a patient with a recent COVID pneumonia that did not fit the aforementioned clinical picture - a 41-year-old male with a complete collapse of his right lung who was previously admitted for COVID pneumonia with no known pulmonary history and was not intubated. A chest tube was placed with the resolution of the PTX and the patient is being monitored on the medicine floor.

Successful use of endobronchial valve for persistent air leak in a patient with COVID-19 and bullous emphysema

Patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia can suffer from pneumothorax and persistent air leak (PAL). The pneumothorax occurs with or without pre-existing lung disease. PAL refers to air leak lasting more than 5-7 days and arises due to bronchopleural or alveolopleural fistula. The management of PAL can be challenging as a standard management guideline is lacking. Here we present the case of a 42-year-old smoker with COVID-19 who presented to the hospital with fever, cough, acute left-sided chest pain and shortness of breath. He suffered from a large left-sided pneumothorax requiring immediate chest tube drainage. Unfortunately, the air leak persisted for 13 days before one-way endobronchial valve (EBV) was used with complete resolution of the air leak. We also review the literature regarding other cases of EBV utilisation for PAL in patients with COVID-19.