Vanishing Lung Syndrome: Compound Effect of Tobacco and Marijuana Use on the Development of Bullous Lung Disease – A Joint Effort

Abstract

Marijuana use has been increasing across the United States due to its legalization as both a medicinal and recreational product. A small number of case reports have described a pathological entity called vanishing lung syndrome (VLS), which is a rare bullous lung disease usually caused by tobacco smoking. Recent case reports have implicated marijuana in the development of VLS. We present a case of a 47-year-old man, who presented to our hospital with shortness of breath, fevers and a productive cough. On physical exam, he was tachypneic with audible stridor and absent right sided breath sounds. Laryngoscopy showed a retropharyngeal abscess, and chest radiography showed a possible right pneumothorax. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral bullous emphysematous lung disease with a giant bulla occupying most of his right lung field. He was placed on mechanical ventilation and treated with broad spectrum antibiotics in the intensive care unit, where he developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). He continued to decline, and developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, after which he succumbed to his disease.