Author/Authors :
Vaziri, M Department of Thoracic Surgery - Hazrat Rasool Hospital - Iran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Pazooki, A Hazrat Rasool Hospital - Iran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Zahedi, L Physician - Member of Research Committee - Iran University of Medical sciences - Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare idiopathic disorder that
primarily affects young adult cigarette smokers. Affected patients often present with cough and dyspnea
and about 20% of patients present with or later develop pneumothorax. It is striking that more than 90%
of patients are smokers. We report a very unusual case of PLCH in a 20-year- old male patient with no
smoking history in whom a life- threatening complication such as simultaneous bilateral pneumothorax
was the presenting feature. The final diagnosis was made by open surgical biopsy and recurrent
pneumothoraces necessitated surgical management with pleurodesis. We emphasize the early use of
pleurodesis in managing patients with PLCH and spontaneous pneumothorax.
