CASE REPORT
Bullectomy for “bong lung” in an 18 year-old male presenting with spontaneous pneumothorax
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Wesley Medical Centre, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Corresponding author
Roger K.A. Allen
Suite 46, Wesley Medical Centre
40 Chasely St, Auchenflower,
Brisbane, QLD 4066
Australia
Pneumon 2010;23(3):301–303
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
An 18 year-old male who had smoked cannabis for four years presented with a spontaneous pneumothorax and was treated by apical bullectomy. The surgical and histopathological findings were characteristic of “bong lung”. This patient is the youngest reported in the literature and the case highlights the fact that the disease can occur even in adolescents after a few years of smoking cannabis.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank Dr Debbie Norris, Histopathologist,
Queensland Medical Laboratories for her advice on the
histological features of this condition and for the photomicrographs, and Dr Peter M. Wragg, Thoracic and
Vascular Surgeon, Wesley Medical Centre for his comments on the surgical findings and for the photographs
taken at thoracoscopy.
REFERENCES (4)
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Gill A. Bong Lung: Regular smokers of cannabis show relatively distinctive histologic changes that predispose to pneumothorax. Am J Surg Path 2005; 29(7): 980-982.
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Urban T. Manifestations Respiratoires liées à l’ inhalation de fumée de cannabis. Rev Mal Respir 2008; 25:1338-40.
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Taylor DR, Hall W. Respiratory health effects of cannabis: Position statement of The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand. Int Med J 2003; 33: 310-313.