[A case of diffuse panbronchiolitis, performed an open lung biopsy after improvement with 6 years medication]

A 51-year-old male was hospitalized in June 1983, complaining of productive cough and dyspnea. Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) was diagnosed on the basis of the physical examination, chest roentgenogram, chest CT and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). The patient underwent surgery for chronic sinusitis and deviated nasal septum, and received Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine, ampicillin and erythromycin. He revealed a posterior mediastinal tumor in March 1989. The clinical findings of DPB improved but open lung biopsy was performed on the occasion of surgery for the posterior mediastinal tumor. Pathologically, fibrosis and mild infiltration of mononuclear cells localized in the walls of respiratory bronchioli and in surrounding areas was recognized in addition to slight accumulation of foamy macrophages in interstitial spaces. These morphological findings, as well as the clinical findings, might suggest repair of DPB lesions.