heroin and Pneumothorax

A 40-year-old heroin smoking man presented with acute onset severe shortness of breath. Radiological investigations revealed an unexpected loculated pneumothorax. Respiratory physicians inserted a chest drain which relieved his breathlessness. His exercise tolerance is much improved 6 months on. The side effects of smoking illicit substances are poorly understood. There is a growing trend for drug users to smoke rather than intravenously inject. It is therefore important for clinicians to be aware of the associated morbidity. The authors believe this is the first ever reported case of loculated pneumothorax associated with heroin smoking.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; Chest Tubes; Dyspnea; Heroin; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Male; Pneumothorax; Smoking; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Adult; Heroin; Humans; Male; Pneumothorax; Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Topics: Adult; Biopsy; Fatal Outcome; Female; Granuloma; Heroin; Humans; Lung; Lung Diseases; Microscopy, Electron; Pneumothorax; Radiography; Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Two cases of pneumothorax secondary to pulmonary septic infarctions occurred in the course of tricuspid endocarditis in intravenous drug misusers. This unusual complication must be considered in patients with right sided endocarditis who develop pleuritic chest pain, haemoptysis, or breathlessness.

Topics: Adult; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Heroin; Humans; Male; Pneumothorax; Pulmonary Embolism; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Tricuspid Valve

Topics: Abscess; Arthritis; Arthritis, Infectious; Bacteroides; Benzoates; Brain Abscess; Camphor; Cellulitis; Endocarditis; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Endocarditis, Subacute Bacterial; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B virus; Heroin; Humans; Infections; Meningitis; Methicillin; Opium; Penicillin G; Pneumothorax; Sepsis; Staphylococcal Infections; Substance-Related Disorders; Toxicology