A case of diffuse panbronchiolitis diagnosed by thoracoscopic biopsy.

Seo, Hae Sook; Rhee, Myung Seon; Paik, Soo Hum; Cho, Dong IlI; Kim, Jae Won; Rhu, Nam Soo

doi:1992.39.3.271

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 39(3); 1992 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1992;39(3):271-277.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1992.39.3.271 Published online June 1, 1992.

A case of diffuse panbronchiolitis diagnosed by thoracoscopic biopsy.

Hae Sook Seo, Myung Seon Rhee, Soo Hum Paik, Dong IlI Cho, Jae Won Kim, Nam Soo Rhu

Department of Chest Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), a rare progressive disorder, has lately been receiving increasing attention. DPB is a disease of obscure etiology, characterized by chronic inflammation localized mainly in the region of respiratory bronchiole just distal to the terminal bronchioles. In 1983, Homma and coworkers reported 82 cases of a new clinicopathological entity, DPB, in Japan. Also DPB is a disease largely restricted geographically to Japan but the prevalence in other countries is extremely low. Histologically, it is characterized by a suppurative bronchiolitis involving primarily the respiratory and terminal bronchioles with subsequent progression to bronchiectasis. The disease progresses rapidly and results in respiratory failure due to repeated respiratory infections. We experienced a case of DPB accompanied with chronic maxillary sinusitis in both sinuses Diagnosis of DPB was confirmed by pathological results from thoracoscopic lung biopsy, typical radiological findings, clinical symptoms and pulmonary function test. After treatment with erythromycin for 6 months, the patient’s condition and the typical micronodular densities on the chest radiography improved. A few case of DPB was reported in Korea. We report a case of DPB through thoracoscopic lung biopsy.

Key Words: Diffuse panbronchiolitis, Thoracoscopic lung biopsy