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→Autopsy Findings
== Clinical Summary ==
This 64-year-old man was hospitalized because of increasing shortness of breath, cough, increasing sputum production, and fever. The patient had a 75 pack-year history of cigarette smoking. On admission his respiratory rate was 20 breaths per minute and his pulse was 110 bpm. On room air his PaO2 was 46 mm Hg, his PaCO2 was 62 mm Hg , and the pH was 7.26. Chest x-ray showed a low, flattened diaphragm, and markedly lucent regions in the upper lung fields suggesting areas of emphysema. Despite appropriate therapy he suffered acute respiratory failure and could not be resuscitated.
Pertinent autopsy findings included emphysema with moderate mucous plugging of bronchi. Right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation were also noted.
== Images ==
<gallery heights="250px" widths="250px">
File:IPLab12COPD5.jpg|This gross photograph of the heart taken at autopsy demonstrates right ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation (arrows).
</gallery>
== Study Questions ==
* <spoiler text="What is COPD and why do cigarette smokers develop it?">Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of conditions that lead to dyspnea. COPD entails emphysema, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and asthma. The conditions can occur to varying degrees and there are often complex combinations and severities of each entity. Cigarette smoke and other air pollutants can irritate the lung and lead to increased leukocytes, increased release of elastases, and increased oxidants which inhibit alpha-1 antitrypsin. These and a variety of other factors lead to destruction of the elastic tissue in the lung and result in abnormal lung function and lung damage.</spoiler>
* <spoiler text="What caused the right ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation? What is this called?">The lung damage resulted in pulmonary hypertension which resulted in right ventricular hypertrophy. Over a period of time the increased workload will cause the right ventricle to fail and dilate. This process of right ventricular hypertrophy due to pulmonary hypertension is called cor pulmonale.</spoiler>
== Additional Resources ==
=== Reference ===
* [http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/807143-overview eMedicine Medical Library: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema in Emergency Medicine]
* [http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/297664-overview eMedicine Medical Library: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease]
* [http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/287555-overview eMedicine Medical Library: Nicotine Addiction]
* [http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pulmonary_disorders/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_and_related_disorders/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease.html Merck Manual: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease]
=== Journal Articles ===
* Franks TJ, Galvin JR. [http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2013-0384-RA Smoking-Related Interstitial Lung Disease]. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2015;139:974–977.
=== Images ===
* [{{SERVER}}/library/index.php?/tags/2172-copd PEIR Digital Library: COPD Images]
* [http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/LUNGHTML/LUNGIDX.html#6 WebPath: Obstructive Diseases]
== Related IPLab Cases ==
* [[IPLab:Lab 5:α1 Antitrypsin Deficiency|Lab 5: Lung: α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency]]
* [[IPLab:Lab 10:Cryptococcosis|Lab 10: Lung: Cryptococcosis]]
{{IPLab 12}}
[[Category: IPLab:Lab 12]]