IPSILATERAL HYPOPLASIA OF A PULMONARY ARTERY IN ADVANCED BRONCHIECTASIS

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Abstract
Three adult patients, 2 women and lman, from 34-39 years old with advanced bronchiectasis of the left hing and hypoplastic pulmonary arteries are reported. The 2 older patients also had suppurative bronchiectases and fibrothoraces. One patient had a pneumonectomy; injection casts of the excised lung demonstrated the hypoplastic pulmonary artery which confirmed the angiocardiographic findings. The younger patient had many moist rales at the left base, and showed a hyper lucent left lung with a centrally-placed heart. She too had advanced bronchiectasis, especially of the lower lobe, and only an attenuated left ascending pulmonary artery. Rather than being a separate entity, a hyper lucent lung with a hypoplastic pulmonary artery and bronchiectasis may be an advanced stage of bronchiectasis with diminished blood flow complicated by emphysema owing to chronic bronchiectasis.