Articles

CHYLOPERITONEUM, CHYLOTHORAX AND LOWER EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA IN WOMAN WITH SPORADIC LYMPHANGIOLEIOMYOMATOSIS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH SIROLIMUS: A CASE REPORT

Authors
  • A Chachaj
  • K Drozdz
  • M Chabowski
  • P Dziegiel
  • I Grzegorek
  • A Wojnar
  • P Jazwiec
  • A Szuba

Abstract

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is arare disease characterized by diffuse thin-walled cysts throughout the lungs on computed tomography and diffuse proliferation of abnormal smooth muscle-like cells (LAM cells) on lung biopsy. LAM affects women almost exclusively, predominantly in their reproductive age. The most typical presenting symptoms include dyspnea, spontaneous pneumothorax, cough and chylothorax. Abdominal findings represent less common initial manifestations of the disease and may pose diagnostic difficulties. The treatment of LAM has not been fully established. Recent studies report effectiveness of sirolimus in LAM patients.

We report the case of a 45-year-old woman with sporadic LAM, successfully treated with sirolimus, in whom the first manifestation of the disease was chyloperitoneum and after three and nine years, respectively, lymphedema of the left lower extremity and right sided chylothorax occurred.

Keywords: lymphangioleiomyomatosis, sirolimus, chyloperitoneum, chylothorax, lymphedema, lung cysts, LAM cells, lymphscintigraphy

How to Cite:

Chachaj, A., Drozdz, K., Chabowski, M., Dziegiel, P., Grzegorek, I., Wojnar, A., Jazwiec, P. & Szuba, A., (2012) “CHYLOPERITONEUM, CHYLOTHORAX AND LOWER EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA IN WOMAN WITH SPORADIC LYMPHANGIOLEIOMYOMATOSIS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH SIROLIMUS: A CASE REPORT”, Lymphology 45(2), 53-57.

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Published on
17 Aug 2012
Peer Reviewed