Pleurocutaneous fistula as a complication of oleothorax CT findings in three patients

Oleothorax: Review of Literature; Report of a Case Study and a Potential Treatment for Multi-Resistant Tuberculosis (MRTB)

“…Upon culturing, the paraffin was removed from the thoracic cavity, grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the other two patients, chest CT showed extrusion of oleothorax material but the presenting clinical symptoms were not felt to be associated with oleothorax (Kirshenbaum, Burke, Kirshenbaum, & Cavallino, 1995). The reviewed cases report several complications related to oleothorax.…”

Pleurocutaneous fistula after tube thoracostomy: Sonographic findings

“…In addition to iatrogenic causes such as thoracic gossypibomas, 3 chest tube placement after videoassociated thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), 4 and oleothorax, 5,6 infectious processes such as Mycobacterium xenopi infection, 6 pulmonary tuberculosis, 7 and chronic calcified empyema 8 ; neoplasms such as pleural squamous cell carcinoma 9 and advanced breast cancer 10 ; and inhalation migration of foreign body 11 have been reported as other possible causes. With regard to the pathophysiology of pleurocutaneous fistula development, a negative intrapleural pressure prevents occurrence of this event under normal situations, and any pleural break usually closes after removal of the cause.…”

Emergency department diagnosis of a concealed pleurocutaneous fistula in a 78-year-old man using point-of-care ultrasound

“…Pleurocutaneous fi stula is a pathologic entity consisting of a persistent communication between the pleural space and subcutaneous tissue that can be a consequence of a broad spectrum of diseases including pleural tuberculosis, migrating foreign bodies, metastatic cancer, radiation therapy post mastectomy, tube thoracostomy, and a VATS procedure complication. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] While rare, this case of a pleurocutaneous fi stula highlights the usefulness for point of care ultrasound as an aid to prompt diagnosis and clinical decision making. Case reports have described the diagnosis of this entity by both ultrasound and CT imaging.…”

“…Case reports have described the diagnosis of this entity by both ultrasound and CT imaging. [4][5][6][7] In this case, the pleurocutaneous fi stula and the fistula tract were identified on ultrasound imaging, aiding in the correct diagnosis.…”

“…There are multiple case reports of pleurocutaneous fi stulas occurring after tube thoracostomy as well as secondary to pulmonary infections including tuberculosis. [3][4][5][6][7] VATS is becoming an increasingly common surgery for treatment of lung carcinoma, spontaneous pneumothorax, and various indications in the trauma setting. Several cases series documenting VATS complications describe pleurocutaneous fi stulas after VATS procedures.…”