Successful Treatment of Invasive Pulmonary Mucormycosis in an Immunocompromised Patient

A 59-year-old man undergoing chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia had a bilateral pneumonic process. The right lung subsequently developed several small cavitary lesions extending from the central hilum to the chest wall. Despite medical therapy, repeat imaging demonstrated coalescence into a single, large, central cavitary lesion. Thoracic surgery was consulted because of the central hilar involvement of all three lobes; a pneumonectomy would have been required to resect the lesion. However, he was not a candidate for pneumonectomy because of a low predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second. We performed a rib resection, debridement, and marsupialization, in which the skin was sewn circumferentially to the parietal pleura. His wound was managed with wet-to-dry dressings. Post-operatively, he recovered well, with resolution of his cough. Three weeks after surgery, he was discharged from the hospital, and the cavity completely closed at 4 months. (C) 2016 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons