Pulmonary manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease in pregnancy

Summary 

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a systemic disease that can present with pulmonary manifestations. IBD may be exacerbated during pregnancy.

Case

We describe the first reported case of pulmonary manifestation of ulcerative colitis (UC), an IBD, with necrobiotic nodules, in a pregnant patient. A 27-year-old woman with a history of UC, 25 weeks pregnant, presented to our hospital with bilateral pulmonary nodules. After serologic and radiologic evaluation, she underwent biopsy by video assisted thoracic surgery and a tissue diagnosis was made.

Conclusion

This case illustrates the need to consider extra intestinal manifestations of IBD, the need to establish diagnosis by biopsy, and the consideration of appropriate therapeutics in the pregnant patient.

Keywords: Lung diseases, Colitis, ulcerative, Inflammatory bowel diseases, Pregnancy