Loculated Pneumothorax in COVID-19 Patient – A Case Report

Abstract

Aim: Loculated pneumothorax and multilocular cystic lung lesions are rare complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with COVID-19 infection. In this case report we wanted to emphasize that not only mechanically ventilated patients are at increased risk of pneumothorax and cystic lung lesions. Those lesions can also be found in non-ventilated patients. Case report: We present a case report of a 52-year-old man who was hospitalized because of COVID-19 pneumonia. MSCT pulmonary angiography revealed ground glass opacities, multilocular cystic lesions and loculated pneumothorax. On followup computerized tomography examination in an outpatient hospital two months later, there was a significant regression of the lung parenchymal ground glass opacities, as well as the regression of the cystic lesions with residual fluid-filled lesion in the oblique interlobar fissure. Conclusion: Only few case reports have been published on this specific lung pathology in COVID-19 disease. Increased incidence of complications such as pneumothorax in COVID-19 pneumonia is common, but physicians should also be aware of the possibility of other lung pathologies such as loculated pneumothorax and multilocular cystic lesions which can present not only in mechanically ventilated patients.