Mycotic aneurysms of the pulmonary arteries in intravenous drug addicts: Report of three cases and review of the literature

• Published in: The American journal of medicine Vol. 76; no. 6; pp. 1124 - 1131
• Main Authors: Navarro, Carlos, Dickinson, P.C.Taylor, Kondlapoodi, Preetham, Hagstrom, Jack W.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.1984; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aneurysm, Infected - etiology; Aneurysm, Infected - pathology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial endocarditis, myocarditis and pericarditis. Bacterial diseases of the aorta, limb vessels and lymphatic vessels; Biological and medical sciences; Endocarditis, Bacterial - complications; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Medical sciences; Methadone - administration & dosage; Pneumonia - complications; Pulmonary Artery - pathology; Pulmonary Embolism - complications; Staphylococcus - isolation & purification; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation; Tricuspid Valve; Infection; Human; Intravenous administration; Aneurysm; Bacteriosis; Cardiovascular disease; Complication; Poisoning; Substance abuse; Pulmonary artery
• ISSN: 0002-9343; 1555-7162
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9343(84)90869-6

During the postmortem study of pulmonary lesions in intravenous drug addicts, three patients were found to have bilateral multiple mycotic aneurysms of the peripheral pulmonary arteries in association with embolic pneumonia. Two of these patients had infective tricuspid endocarditis, and one had hemoptysis. This report draws attention to the occurrence of mycotic aneurysms in this unusual location and suggests that these pulmonary lesions may be more common than currently believed.