Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome; repeated chest drainages in a patient misdiagnosed with pneumothorax

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2009 Apr;8(4):482-4. doi: 10.1510/icvts.2008.197566. Epub 2009 Jan 22.

Abstract

Swyer-James-MacLeod Syndrome (SJMS) occurs as a result of childhood bronchiolitis obliterans. Typically, this disorder is diagnosed in childhood after evaluations for recurrent respiratory infections. One of the reasons to explain the difficulty in diagnosis is that when patients develop little bronchiectasis, and therefore, few symptoms, then this syndrome may not be recognized until adulthood. Here, we are presenting a 22-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with SJMS who was initially misdiagnosed with a pneumothorax and treated by multiple chest tube drainages. This case highlights the significance of taking a careful history, the application of computed tomography and scintigraphy in confirming the diagnosis of SJMS and in eliminating other diseases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bronchiectasis / etiology
  • Bronchiolitis Obliterans / complications*
  • Chest Tubes
  • Diagnostic Errors*
  • Drainage* / instrumentation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung, Hyperlucent / diagnosis*
  • Lung, Hyperlucent / etiology
  • Lung, Hyperlucent / surgery
  • Medical History Taking
  • Perfusion Imaging
  • Pneumonectomy
  • Pneumothorax / diagnosis*
  • Pneumothorax / surgery
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Thoracotomy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Unnecessary Procedures*