Doctors Fail to Diagnose Fatal Lung Disease

Case Overview

This case involves a male patient who presented to the emergency room complaining of chest pain and shortness of breath. An EKG, chest x-ray, and other testing was done yielding normal results. After a short time, the patient was discharged from the hospital on and advised to follow up with his primary care physician. A few days later, the patient saw his primary care physician who ordered additional pulmonary function tests. The patient returned to his primary care doctor a few days later, where he was told that his tests had come back and seemed to indicate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The doctor ordered a CT chest for the patient, however the patient was found dead in his home before the test could be conducted. An autopsy was later performed which revealed acute pleuritis and empyema and pulmonary emphysema.

Questions to the Internal Medicine expert and their responses

Are the clinical signs and symptoms associated with this disease usually detected by a physical exam, vitals and patient history?

The clinical signs and symptoms of pleuritis, empyema, and emphysema are usually detected by history and physical exam, especially if the conditions are moderate or severe. In mild cases, further diagnostic testing may be required to make the diagnosis.

Is an earlier detection and intervention of the pathologies described in this case associated with a better outcome for a patient?

Earlier detection of these conditions and appropriate intervention is usually associated with a better outcome.

About the expert

This highly qualified, well published expert earned his Bachelor's degree from Cornell University and his MD from Drexel University. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Allegheny General Hospital, where he was named chief resident. He has authored dozens of academic peer-reviewed papers, being cited more than a hundred times in the lay press. He previously served as an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Allegheny General and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine. He treats patients as an attending physician at a group practice in Pittsburgh, while serving as the Director of Perioperative Medicine at a major Pennsylvania medical center.

E-006953

Specialties:

Internal Medicine