Lady Windermere Syndrome: Unravelling an Older Lady's Nightmare

Cureus. 2023 Oct 24;15(10):e47601. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47601. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is an increasingly important cause of pulmonary disease, particularly in immunocompromised patients or those suffering from chronic lung conditions. However, though rare, non-tubercular mycobacterial infection and bronchiectasis may also occur in an immunocompetent patient. This unusual condition is typically seen in middle-aged or elderly white females, with bronchiectasis having a predilection for the middle lobe and lingula. Here, we present a similar case of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection with middle lobe bronchiectasis in an elderly immunocompetent female, recognized as Lady Windermere Syndrome (LWS).

Keywords: bronchiectasis; lady windermere syndrome; mac infection; tree-in-bud nodularity; voluntary cough suppression.

Publication types

  • Case Reports