Abstract Plastic bronchitis is a rare and poorly described complication of sickle cell disease and acute chest syndrome. It is defined as the formation of casts made of various materials, which obstruct lung bronchi. This case describes a 5-year-old male with sickle cell disease (SCD), SS genotype, admitted for pain crisis and acute chest syndrome (ACS). He experienced an abrupt onset of worsening respiratory distress and chest x-ray findings. In a matter of hours, he progressed to cardiovascular decompensation and death secondary to diffuse lung infiltration and obstruction in the setting of plastic bronchitis. This case is unique in how rapidly the patient’s clinical status declined. It highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for plastic bronchitis, which is a rare but deadly complication of SCD and ACS.
Franco et al. (Mon,) studied this question.