Educational Case: Aspiration Pneumonia

Abstract

The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology. For additional information, and a full list of learning objectives for all three competencies, see http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2374289517715040.1

Navigating the Maze: Exploring Non-Oncological Complexities in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

“…Aspiration pneumonia (Figure 13) is often associated with glottal incompetence and ciliary dysfunction, which can result from radiation therapy [32]. The tumor invasion of the vagus or recurrent laryngeal nerve is a known complication in individuals with lung cancer [32]. All these may cause one to be predisposed to aspiration pneumonia in lung cancer.…”

“…Additionally, they underscore the importance of considering thrombosis as a potential cause of lung infarction in the context of lung cancer. Aspiration pneumonia (Figure 13) is often associated with glottal incompetence and ciliary dysfunction, which can result from radiation therapy [32]. The tumor invasion of the vagus or recurrent laryngeal nerve is a known complication in individuals with lung cancer [32].…”

Persistent Hiccups: An Unusual Presentation of Aspiration Pneumonia in the Elderly

“…Patients typically present with cough, dyspnea, fever, hypoxia, reduced breath sounds and radiological evidence of pulmonary infiltrates [ 3 ]. Rarely, patients present with persistent hiccups as the sole symptom of aspiration pneumonia and when it does occur, the inferior lobe of the right lung is typically involved [ 4 , 5 ]. Persistent or intractable hiccups always represent an underlying pathology.…”