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Case Reports
. 2015 Jun 20:16:29-31.
doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2015.05.015. eCollection 2015.

Pulmonary scintigraphy as a method to investigate gastrobronchial communication in tracheostomized patients

Alessandro Graziani  1 , Anna Martelli  1 , Oliviero Quercia  1 , Anna Paola Spadazzi  1 , Eleonora Del Giudice  1 , Francesco G Stefanini  1 , Arianna Lanzi  1 , Pierpaolo Casalini  1 , Giuseppe Pezzi  1 , Federica Mirici Cappa  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pulmonary scintigraphy as a method to investigate gastrobronchial communication in tracheostomized patients

Alessandro Graziani et al. Respir Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a degeneration of somatic motor neurons extending from upper motor cortical pyramidal neurons to lower motor neurons of the brainstem and cord. During the course of the disease patients require invasive procedures for nutrition and ventilation. Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG), performed in patients with impaired swallowing, is a safe procedure for the administration of Enteral Nutrition (EN). In the advanced stages of the disease patients develop a ventilatory failure due to muscolar weakness in these case they need a permanent tracheal tube with mechanical ventilation. Here we reported a case of a patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL) who developed an increased gastric endocavitary pressure after a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG).

Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Gastrobronchial fistula; Pulmonary scintigraphy.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pulmonary scintigraphy demonstrated radiolabelled air in the stomach.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
SPECT/CT demonstrated a possible passage of radiolabelled air from right lung to the stomach.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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