Pneumatocele in children

Abstract

Objective: To discuss the clinical characteristics and therapeutic management adopted with regard to pneumatocele, reporting the case of a patient with the disease and comparing the case data with those in the literature. Case details: A 2-year-old male patient. The patient was admitted to the pediatric emergency unit with a history of dry cough associated with fever (not measured) for 3 weeks, evolving with mild respiratory distress. She used Amoxicillin + Clavulanate due to tonsillitis. However, after 4 days of treatment, the patient developed fever. The patient was referred to the yellow room and started Ceftriaxone 100 mg/kg/day, oxacillin 200 mg/kg/day, and maintenance intravenous hydration. Due to the worsening of the patient's condition and complication, thoracentesis and thoracostomy were performed, with pleural drainage and placement of a drain in a water seal on the right. It drained purulent fluid and air. It was decided to change the antibiotic regimen. Final considerations: It is concluded that the treatment of pneumatocele is not specific. In general, conservative treatment is performed, but when there is an exacerbation of the condition, with worsening of respiratory distress and expansion of the pneumatocele, the surgical procedure is considered. In patients with infectious pneumatoceles, antibiotic therapy is almost always empirical due to the difficulty of isolating the agent.