Aspiration pneumonia

Aspiration pneumonia is a type of pneumonia.

A special type of aspiration pneumonia is lipoid pneumonia. It is dealt with in the lipoid pneumonia article.

General

• Not associated with microorganisms - though empiric antibiotics are relatively common to cover infectious pneumonias that cannot be excluded easily on clinical grounds.

• Usually seen in the context of a toxin and/or pathology that affects the swallowing and cough reflexes.

Common associations:

• Stroke.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Alcohol intoxication.

Other risk factors:

• Traumatic brain injury.
• Seizure disorder.
• Bowel obstruction.
• Drugs.
• Obesity.
• Labour.

Gross

• More common in the right lung.
  • Right main stem bronchus is more vertical.

Microscopic

Features:

• Neutrophils.
• Foreign material, e.g. plant matter.
• +/-Foreign body giant cells.
• +/-Microorganisms.

DDx:

• Acute infectious pneumonia.

Images

• 

  Aspiration pneumonia - 1 - (WC)

• 

  Aspiration pneumonia - 2 - (WC)

• 

  Aspiration pneumonia - 3 - (WC)

• 

  AP - very low mag. (WC)

• 

  AP - low mag. (WC)

• 

  AP - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  AP - high mag. (WC)

• 

  AP - very high mag. (WC)

See also

• Pneumonia.