An unusual course of disease in two patients with COVID-19: pulmonary cavitation. Issue 9 (7th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muheim, Michael; Weber, Fabio José; Muggensturm, Patrick; Seiler, Eva
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 13:Issue 9(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-09-07
• Subjects: pneumonia (infectious disease) -- radiology -- pneumonia (respiratory medicine); Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-237967
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : Two 59-year-old male patients with COVID-19 pneumonia developed pulmonary cavitation with air-fluid level, accompanied by right-sided chest pain several weeks after first onset of symptoms. Considering a possible bacterial abscess formation, both patients were started on antibiotics. No microbiological pathogen was detected in further investigations (sputum analysis, bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage and CT-guided drainage of the cavitation). Histopathological analysis of the drained fluid was non-specific, and the aetiology remained not fully understood. We report pulmonary cavitation as a rare finding in late stage COVID-19 pneumonia. As both our patients presented with localised chest pain prior to detection of the lesions, new onset of this symptom should warrant further investigation.