Abrupt Bulla Formation by Visceral Pleural Detachment after Pulmonary Lobectomy: A Case Report

Pulmonary bullae usually grow slowly and have thin walls. However, we have observed 2 cases of abrupt bulla formation immediately after lobectomy and during surgery. The pathologic findings of what can be called visceral pleural detachment are quite distinctive: these bullae had a broad base connected to the lung, and their walls were thick, including the full extent of visceral pleural and peripheral alveolar tissues, which suggests that the visceral pleura were detached from the distal alveoli. High transpleural pressure might be the key factor in the pathogenesis of this type of bulla, unlike previously known types of bullous lung disease.