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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: May 10, 2024
[Uniliteral wheezes as the first clinical sign of a bronchial carcinoid]
U M Becher1, M Kaminski, C Grohe
1Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn. ubecher@uni-bonn.de
History And Clinical Findings:
A 58-years-old non-smoking woman presented at our Thoracic Centre with increasing exertional dyspnea and on examination was found to have wheezing and decreased breath sounds over the left lung.
Investigations:
Chest X-ray revealed an atelectasis of the left anterobasal lung segment. Computed tomography revealed a 3.5 cm mass at the left inferior lobe. Bronchioscopy showed a total occlusion of the segmental bronchus because of an endobronchial tumor. Histology of a biopsy showed the tumor to be a carcinoid. Staging by whole-body ocreotide scintigraphy showed no evidence of metastases.
Treatment And Course:
The patient recovered quickly from resection of the left inferior lobe and radical lymphadenectomy. Two years later, she has remained free of symptoms and without evidence of recurrence.
Conclusions:
Although rare (ca. 1.0 % of all primary lung tumors), the differential diagnosis of dyspnea and uniliteral wheezing should include a bronchial carcinoid. It is a potentially curable tumor, if detected and treated early. An interdisciplinary approach is pivotal to its perioperative management.
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