Bakhtawar I, Schaefer R F, Salian N
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205, USA.
Chest. 2001 Jun;119(6):1966-8. doi: 10.1378/chest.119.6.1966.
An 85-year-old man had a 4-year history of recurrent pneumonia with a persistent pleural effusion. He underwent repeated bronchoscopy that revealed a right bronchus intermedius mass, but bronchial washes and biopsies remained nondiagnostic. A repeat bronchoscopy was performed, and a Wang needle aspiration of the mass was obtained that showed sulfur granules, diagnosing actinomycosis. The patient was started on appropriate antibiotic therapy. Actinomycosis must be considered in a patient with recurrent pneumonia and an endobronchial mass. Wang needle aspiration via bronchoscopy may be an important diagnostic tool.
