Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease

In patients presenting with severe dyspnea, several diagnostic challenges arise in distinguishing the diagnosis of pneumothorax versus several other pulmonary etiologies like bullous lung disease, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Distinguishing between l...

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Main Authors: Gelabert, Christopher, Nelson, Mathew
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eScholarship Publishing, University of California 2015-05-01
Series:Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
Online Access:http://escholarship.org/uc/item/6w65w11d
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spelling doaj-0064a79057144af2b76b90a2f27e08482020-11-24T21:27:03ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-900X1936-90182015-05-0116344744910.5811/westjem.2015.3.24809Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung DiseaseGelabert, Christopher0Nelson, Mathew 1North Shore University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Emergency Ultrasound, Manhasset, New YorkNorth Shore University Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Emergency Ultrasound, Manhasset, New YorkIn patients presenting with severe dyspnea, several diagnostic challenges arise in distinguishing the diagnosis of pneumothorax versus several other pulmonary etiologies like bullous lung disease, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Distinguishing between large pulmonary bullae and pneumothorax is of the utmost importance, as the acute management is very different. While multiple imaging modalities are available, plain radiographs may be inadequate to make the diagnosis and other advanced imaging may be difficult to obtain. Ultrasound has a very high specificity for pneumothorax. We present a case where a large pulmonary bleb mimics the lung point and therefore inaccurately suggests pneumothorax. [West J Emerg Med. 2015;16(3):447–449.]http://escholarship.org/uc/item/6w65w11d
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Gelabert, Christopher
Nelson, Mathew
spellingShingle Gelabert, Christopher
Nelson, Mathew
Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
author_facet Gelabert, Christopher
Nelson, Mathew
author_sort Gelabert, Christopher
title Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
title_short Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
title_full Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
title_fullStr Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
title_full_unstemmed Bleb Point: Mimicker of Pneumothorax in Bullous Lung Disease
title_sort bleb point: mimicker of pneumothorax in bullous lung disease
publisher eScholarship Publishing, University of California
series Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
issn 1936-900X
1936-9018
publishDate 2015-05-01
description In patients presenting with severe dyspnea, several diagnostic challenges arise in distinguishing the diagnosis of pneumothorax versus several other pulmonary etiologies like bullous lung disease, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Distinguishing between large pulmonary bullae and pneumothorax is of the utmost importance, as the acute management is very different. While multiple imaging modalities are available, plain radiographs may be inadequate to make the diagnosis and other advanced imaging may be difficult to obtain. Ultrasound has a very high specificity for pneumothorax. We present a case where a large pulmonary bleb mimics the lung point and therefore inaccurately suggests pneumothorax. [West J Emerg Med. 2015;16(3):447–449.]
url http://escholarship.org/uc/item/6w65w11d
work_keys_str_mv AT gelabertchristopher blebpointmimickerofpneumothoraxinbullouslungdisease
AT nelsonmathew blebpointmimickerofpneumothoraxinbullouslungdisease
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