Granulomatous pneumonitis. A result of intrapleural instillation of quinacrine and talcum powder.

A 73-year-old man with bilateral recurrent pleural effusions had relief of symptoms with intrapleural instillation of quinacrine hydrochloride and talcum powder. At postmortem, examination of the lungs showed granulomatous consolidation of a portion of the lower lobe of the left lung. The granulomatous reaction was in response to large numbers of talc and quinacrine crystals within the pulmonary parenchyma. A review of the literature disclosed no reports of pulmonary damage following the intrapleural administration of these two agents. This unusual complication of therapy may have resulted from the aspiration of crystals through a small, undetected bronchopleural fistula.