Abstract
Complication associated with pulmonary dilofiraliasis has been rarely reported. We report a case of pulmonary dirofilariasis with complicated pulmonary suppuration. A 57-year-old man was admitted with an abnormal shadow on his chest X-ray. Computed tomographic scan showed a subpleural nodular lesion in the right lower lobe 20mm in size. Transbronchial biopsy was not diagnostic. On the fourth day after bronchoscopic examination, the patient developed a fever, and the lung nodular lesion showed enlargement. We considered this situation as complicated pulmonary suppuration. The patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery after an antibiotic therapy. Frozen-section examination during the operation revealed no malignancy, and wedge resection of the lung was performed. Histopathological examination revealed coagulation necrosis surrounded by an abscess, and necrotized microfilariae that had embolized an adjacent peripheral pulmonary artery. The lesion was diagnosed as pulmonary dirofilariasis with complicated pulmonary suppuration. Documentation indicates that pulmonary suppuration secondary to pulmonary infarction can be serious. We could successfully treat the patient after surgery in the early stage of complicated pulmonary suppuration. The patient is doing well without exacerbation of the suppuration after the surgery.
