Severe and Accelerated Pulmonary Inflammatory Process in a 17-Year-old Teenager: EVALI?

Abstract

The authors report the case of a 17-year-old adolescent, user of VAPE, with no history of pulmonary disease and a normal chest X-ray one week before the surgical procedure (implantation of silicone breast implants). At the end of the surgical procedure, at the time of extubation, she developed acute bronchospasm and a sudden drop in hemoglobin saturation. A tomography scan of the chest, performed a few hours later, revealed a ground-glass opacity affecting just over 50% of the lung area. CT angiography performed the next day did not reveal signs of thromboembolism, but showed an ongoing process of pulmonary consolidation. Medicated with dexamethasone and supplemental oxygen via NIV/high-flow nasal catheter, she evolved favorably with radiological cleaning six days after the onset of the respiratory problem. Possibly, lung involvement reflects lung injury from VAPE.