[Retrospective analysis of three cases of pulmonary mucormycosis]

To describe the clinical characteristics of pulmonary mucormycosis and to evaluate the approaches to its diagnosis and treatment.

Three cases of pulmonary mucormycosis were successfully diagnosed by histopathologic examination of infected tissues obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy in this hospital. The clinical features of the cases were analyzed and the literature reviewed.

Three patients were all farmers and two of them had had diabetic ketoacidosis. The first patient died from massive hemoptysis one day after the diagnosis was confirmed. The second patient was cured by large doses of intravenous amphotericin B (total dosage 2 g). The third patient presented with right middle bronchial stenosis after right upper lobectomy because of squamous carcinoma, and was cured by amphotericin B (1.5 g) combined with interventional therapy under fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The two patients were followed for 0.5 - 1 year without relapse.

The mortality of pulmonary mucormycosis is high. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a useful diagnostic method for histopathologic examination. Successful treatment of pulmonary mucormycosis includes early diagnosis, control of underlying diseases and surgical intervention of isolated lesions combined with large dosage of amphotericin B.