Multiple Pulmonary Artery Aneurysms

An unusual case of Hughes-Stovin syndrome

“…The existence of aneurysms of pulmonary and systemic arteries is also compatible with a systemic disease. Nonetheless, coagulation studies, examination of rheumatoid and antinuclear factors and serological tests for syphilis were repeatedly normal [1,2,[4][5][6] as was the case in the present patient. Aneurysms are not described in patients with pulmonary vasculitis.…”

“…Two patients had scrotal abscesses [5,12], one suffered from epididymitis [14], and another from oophoritis [13]. However, in all cases of patients with Hughes-Stovin syndrome, in whom blood cultures were analysed, these were negative [1,3,5,10,[12][13][14].…”

“…Some authors described septic embolisms and abscesses as the cause of aneurysms of the pulmonary arteries [5,[9][10][11]. Venous thrombosis can be either the origin of the septic emboli or caused by bacterial toxins or hyperergic reactions [12].…”

“…In several cases of Hughes-Stovin syndrome infections preceded pulmonary aneurysms [5,[12][13][14]. Two patients had scrotal abscesses [5,12], one suffered from epididymitis [14], and another from oophoritis [13].…”

Successful closure of pulmonary artery aneurysm in a patient with Hughes-Stovin syndrome

“…In turn, these events led to inflammation, damage to the elastic tissue and creation of arterial aneurysms [1]. Actually, weakening of the arterial wall from the subsequent inflammation is the likely mechanism [11]. The clinical course of HSS can be categorized into three different phases [3,4]: a) symptoms of thrombophlebitis, b) formation of large pulmonary and/or bronchial aneurysms and c) aneurysmal rupture leading to massive hemoptysis Patients can have seizures, diplopia and cephalalgia secondary to raised intracranial pressure consequent to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis [1,12] akin to the patient reported by Chalazonitis et al [13].…”