Involvement of the respiratory organs in Crohn’s disease. A clinical case

Introduction. Crohn’s disease is a recurrent inflammatory disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract with transmural manifestations. Extraintestinal manifestations occur in 21–47% of all cases. Radiology techniques play a significant role in diagnosis, assessment and observation by means of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Materials and methods. Clinical data, laboratory and instrumental studies, surgical procedures done in the children’s hospital were collected and analyzed during the study.
Results. A 4-year-old girl was urgently presented to the hospital with non-productive cough and tachypnea that had lasted for two days. Inhalation therapy with Berodual® and Pulmicort® was initiated with a minor effect. Chest multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) showed signs of larynx edema, regular bilateral infiltrates with a volume decrease of the lung on the right side, left-sided tension pneumothorax. It was known that Crohn’s disease had been diagnosed in 7 months. The condition of the child was assessed as a serious case of Crohn’s disease. The condition of patient became stable after 7 days of treatment. The child has been observed by a gastroenterologist and a pulmonologist later.
Conclusion. It is highly recommended to take into account the possibility of respiratory system involvement in patients with diagnosed inflammatory bowel diseases. A thorough anamnestic data research and multidisciplinary approach while evaluating the results of the chest MDCT would help clinicians to optimize clinical management at the early stage of the disease and prevent the development of possible complications.

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