The knowledge of the tracheobronchial tree is fundamental for a bronchoscopist, especially for diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical options that are under consideration. Among all lobes, the right upper lobe (RUL) has a relatively high incidence of tumor and airspace diseases. Most bronchial anomalies are on the right side. Bifurcation is the most common anatomical variation. Quadrification has a very low prevalence. We report the case of a 54-year-old male who came with complaints of hemoptysis and showed a quadrivial type of bronchial division of RUL during a bronchoscopic examination after which three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography showed a supernumerary lateral or axillary segment bronchus. Awareness of this variant may explain otherwise confusing findings and its clinical implication is important for every pulmonologist.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Deivasigamani et al. (2024) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 3 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: