Diagnosis of non-expandable lung using thoracic ultrasound

Ibrahim Khatim; Isam Albaba; Kurt Hu; Terrill Huggins; Amit Chopra

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2022.101749

Diagnosis of non-expandable lung using thoracic ultrasound

Respir Med Case Rep. 2022 Sep 29:40:101749. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2022.101749. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ibrahim Khatim¹, Isam Albaba¹, Kurt Hu², Terrill Huggins³, Amit Chopra⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.
² Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
³ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
⁴ Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA.

Abstract

Non-expandable lung (NEL) commonly occurs secondary to chronic pleural processes, including pleural effusions, endobronchial obstruction, atelectasis, or chronic pleural inflammatory processes. Patients with NEL frequently undergo unnecessary procedures (e.g., thoracentesis), resulting in pneumothorax and discomfort (usually chest pain). Identifying a chronic process and likely development of NEL may prevent this. Diagnostic modalities currently used in practice include pleural manometry and ultrasonography. This case report demonstrates that blunting of transmitted cardiac impulse on M-Mode of ultrasonography predicts the presence of NEL.

Keywords: Malignant pleural effusion; NEL; Non-expandable lung; POCUS; Point of care ultrasound; Ultrasound.

Publication types

Case Reports