Invasive pulmonary mucormycosis with rupture of the thoracic aorta

We report an acute myelogenous leukemia patient with mucormycosis who died of massive hemoptysis during antifungal therapy. The diagnosis was made postmortem and autopsy revealed that the pulmonary nodule consisting of mucorales protruded over the luminal surface of the aorta. Microscopic examination showed the invasion of mucor hyphae into the wall of the aortic arch. Surgical treatment may be indicated for patients with pulmonary mucormycosis refractory to amphotericin B therapy. Am. J. Hematol. 58:326–329, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.